Ancient Curiosity
by jbirdpuff
Summary: Hermione Granger is an Unspeakable who works in the Death Chamber. After two years of research that no one knows the specifics of, Sirius Black returns to the Wizarding World. The ritual she used has dark repercussions that lead Hermione and Sirius into a mysterious race to get answers and save her life. Sirimione!
1. Demiguise

**AN: tbh the idea for this story came to me in a weird dream I had, but I am really excited about this. **

**It's gonna be a wild ride**

**DISCLAIMER: Don't own anything.**

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**Part Zero: Demiguise**

She should've seen it coming.

Her Great Aunt Martha always said to her as some kind of warped greeting, "Curiosity killed the cat, Hermione dear!"

Hermione always responded with an indulgent smile and an air-tight excuse to leave the batty old woman's presence.

That was the reason she'd decided to pursue a job as an Unspeakable anyway. Curiosity.

There was no question regarding the fact that following her return to Hogwarts for her Seventh Year, Hermione would enter the British Ministry of Magic. There were pushes to join the Department of Magical Law Enforcement from both Harry and Ron as well as the head, Gawain Robards. She'd told him of her desire to never be in the field again, unless it's absolutely necessary. She wasn't suited to it anymore. Robards had counter-offered with a job as a detective in the research division of the Auror office.

Her childhood nostalgia had her hesitating when she was approached by the Head of the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, Gethsemane Prickle, who asked her to take over the Being Division.

Kingsley Shacklebolt very nearly begged her to take up a role in administration to which she'd responded with a vague answer of, "I need time to consider, Minister." She'd given the other two departments identical answers.

She had a one bedroom, quaint flat in Muggle London that she spent days locked in making pro and con lists over and over about her options. She was nearly ready to accept the position offered by Gethsemane Prickle when she got an usual owl from Avitus Digby.

_Are you curious about Death, Miss Granger?_

He'd signed it at the bottom, and left no indication of where to meet him or his intentions behind the question.

She didn't sleep that night, and rather spent the hours when everyone else rested studying everything she could on Avitus Digby and the unsettling question he'd asked. She really only learned two things.

Mr. Digby had graduated from Hogwarts in 1953 and immediately taken a job working in the Department of Mysteries. He'd disappeared from public records after that.

The second thing was the way he'd capitalized death as if it was a noun proper.

She responded the next morning requesting a meeting which she supposed was his whole goal with the mystery shrouded letter in the first place.

He requested a meeting at a small bookstore on the very fringes of Knockturn Alley. One she had never seen before, let alone known even existed.

She'd gone against all her instincts and met him there only with the request that it be early in the morning.

She didn't tell anyone about the meeting until after the fact.

A man in his late seventies had appeared in the ancient magic section in the distinguishable shimmering silver robes of an Unspeakable.

"Does this make the answer to my question a yes?" He asked. It was the first thing he'd said to her.

"Curiosity killed the cat," she'd responded cryptically.

He had smiled at her like she had answered exactly how he had set her up to. This was a trait that she soon learned was common with him. She studied him quietly. He had sharp, intelligent, grey eyes and tanned skin. It wasn't far fetched to assume that he must have been quite the heartbreaker in his younger years.

"May I inquire about the intentions of your letter?" She asked primly.

The corners of his mouth twitched and he nodded, "You may." Then he just continued to stare at her.

Hermione scowled at him and said, "I have no interest in playing games, Mr. Digby. Perhaps, Miss Prickle will be more amenable."

She turned her back on him, but she froze when the frustrating man had the gall to laugh at her. When she turned back to look at him, he stopped abruptly and gave her a penetrating stare. She could still see the amusement in his eyes.

"You'll start Monday?"

Hermione balked when he didn't even wait for an answer before turning and disappearing deeper into the dingy bookstore.

She'd tried to follow him, but it was like he'd disappeared into thin air.

The man was an enigma. A frustratingly, _invisible _enigma.

She'd gone back to her flat and made yet another pro-con list, but it was inconclusive.

She'd nearly ripped her hair out staring at all the lists and information magically attached to the wall of her living room. When Harry flooed to visit Sunday evening because she'd missed the Weasley brunch ritual, she was sitting cross legged on the ground in muggle sweatpants looking like she was one Nargle away from a mental breakdown.

"Hermione?"

Harry took one look at the wall with all the spellotaped parchment and let out a tired sigh.

"Oh, Merlin." She looked up at him with a desperately confused expression.  
"Harry, I think I'm going to be an Unspeakable."

He looked at her in shock. The Department of Mysteries wasn't known for hiring in the traditional sense. You never went to Level Nine of the Ministry and simply inquired about jobs, _they_ would come to you.

"How-"

"They found me, Harry."

There was something about the whole situation that had Harry a little sick to his stomach, especially after Hermione showed him the letter and told him about her interaction in Knockturn Alley. An interaction that he was very angry to not be told about.

He imagined Hermione was looking at this career option as her next big puzzle.

"I don't like this," he said carefully.

In retrospect, that was probably the worst thing he could've said to Hermione Granger.

"I don't exactly need your permission, do I?"

He nodded in reluctant acceptance. "Well, when do you start?"

Hermione checked her watch and said, "In seven hours."

When she got off the lift on the ninth level the next morning, it was to complete silence. She stood there rather unsure of herself before another lift came and a very large man stepped off in the silvery robes. Hermione grew even more flustered when she reluctantly noticed that the man was rather handsome. He was maybe a few years older than her and had the whole dark and mysterious look down to a t.

"Um, hullo." The man smiled brilliantly and took a step up to her with his hand held out.

"Florenti Petrov," he had a thick Russian accent and when Hermione took his hand, he used it to pull her close and press kisses to both of her cheeks.

"Oh!" She exclaimed in surprise before pulling away from him. "You're quite demonstrative!"

He smiled and held his arms out in surrender, "It is way in Russia."

Hermione's mouth opened to say something, but she was interrupted by the only visible door swinging open. It was at the end of the dark corridor straight off from the door to the lift.

Avitus Digby strode toward them purposely with a large smile on his face. "Ah, hullo, Miss Granger. I see you've met Florenti. He works in the Love Chamber."

Hermione had to suppress a laugh at that statement. She eyed the Russian man who was grinning at her ear to ear.

"And what Chamber, exactly am I supposed to be working in, Mr. Digby?" She turned slowly to face him.

"Please. Call me Avitus." He smiled at her then. "And haven't you figured it out yet?"

Hermione felt a shiver run down her spine. "The Death Chamber then?"

His smile turned into that same one he'd given her in the middle of the Ancient Magic section.

He led her quickly down the corridor, but not before she ducked to avoid a _personal_ goodbye from Florenti.

Hermione was filled with nervous energy. As soon as they stepped into the Death Chamber Hermione could feel the same uncomfortable air that she had felt four years ago, but this time it was slightly different. All those years ago, only Harry and Luna had heard the voices, but she could hear them now. Soft mumbles with a dark magical buzz in the air.

"Welcome to your office," Avitus said with amusement.

"Are there any other employees assigned to this chamber?"

"No."

"Do I have any assignments?"

He gave her a big smile and said, "Curiosity, Miss Granger."

She threw herself into her research that day and everyday after that. She wanted answers to questions that had been asked since the beginning of magic. Answers to questions most didn't even think to ask.

Florenti had taken to coming and fetching her for lunch everyday because if he didn't, Hermione would work straight through.

He almost always found her sitting on the stone ground a few feet away from the veil, outer robes discarded. Her fingers would be pressed together under her chin as she studied the fluttering curtain.

On less frustrating days she would talk to him about random tidbits of her life outside of work as they ate their meals in the large Ministry Cafe. She never spoke on anything involved with her work because the first thing you learn as an Unspeakable is that everything you study, every bit of research, is just that, _unspeakable_.

On the more frustrating days, she would sit in complete silence and stare at a blank spot behind him.

The point was, no one, not even Avitus, knew what it was Hermione Granger was researching in the Death Chamber.

That is, no one knew until two years after she'd started work when she walked out of it with Sirius Black in tow.

The press lost it.

Hermione Granger, War Heroine, Brightest Witch of her Age, Champion of Beings, and Upstart Unspeakable, was now also titled the Reviver of the Dead.

But not a single witch or wizard knew how she did it.

_Not even Hermione_.

* * *

Hermione had been working for the Department of Mysteries for 742 days when her research came to a peak. She knew this because everyday of her research was numbered precisely in all 52 of her carefully kept notebooks.

One day she sent Florenti away with a wave of her hand when he came for lunch because after 742 days, she thought she was on to something. When he came to tell her the day was over, and she should pack up and go home, she sent him away again.

It was an ancient ritual. One in a book on blood magic that she had found in that very same book shop that she had first met Avitus in all those months ago. She had done as much research as she could on the subject and it was only her love for Harry that had her convinced that she had to try the ritual with out every question answered.

The stone floor was covered in runes and symbols, and she was kneeling in front of the veil with a knife and her trembling palm face up in front of her.

"This is a terrible idea," she whispered to herself.

Before she could talk herself out of it she took the blade and sliced her palm right across the middle and held it over the four Elder Futhark runes she'd painted on the ground in a solution made with the powdered root of asphodel.

She watched the blood drip onto the delicately drawn runes and begin to spread outward along the painted trail. As the blood spread it left a glowing white outline around the symbols.

Hermione gasped as she felt a nearly painful tingle begin on the backs of her hands and work its way up. It was like a nearly frozen liquid was working patterns into her skin. As soon as her blood stopped dripping she, in a panic began to rip off her button up shirt until she was just in her thin pink camisole.

She watched in horror as the runes on the ground transferred to her body with the trail of her blood on the ground.

She supposed this was the answer to one of her unanswered questions.

Her eyes flew up to the veil, and she saw for the first time in the two years that she had spent staring at it that the curtain was pulled to the side like someone had simply pulled it open to let in the light.

The blood met in the middle at the end of her circle of runes and suddenly the lines on her skin, that had just been uncomfortably cold, began to glow that same color of blue. It felt like the runes were being _branded _into her skin.

She gasped in pain, and tears sprang to her eyes. The runes faded until they were a pale white like old scars, but the burning pain remained. Hermione started to trace the runes along the back of her hand, but her shaking fingers froze when a gravelly voice said, "Is that you, kitten?"

She looked up and standing there as if he'd walked through the veil like a simple doorway, was Sirius Black.

He hadn't aged a day since that one night at the end of her fifth year, and he was staring at her like she was some kind of angel in a muggle business skirt and satin camisole.

Her whole body began to shake and she said in a panic, "Something's wrong."

Sirius stumbled forward and dropped to his knees right in front of her. Needlessly he said, "Merlin, you've aged well. Is this some kind of dream?"

Hermione ignored him as some kind of cold, invisible presence felt like it was permeating her being. She began to shake harder. If her skin still felt like it was burning, why was she _so _cold?

"Something's wrong," she whispered this time.

Sirius reached forward and pulled the knife from her hand before letting it clatter to the stone ground.

"Okay." He said to himself. "Okay." He repeated as he placed his hands under her arms to lift her up. "Can you stand on your own?"

Hermione nodded jerkily and stared down at the runes all over her arms. They spread past where she could see. Her mind was whirring, and her research was filtering across the front of her eyes. Sirius just came back into the physical world for the first time in five years. Shouldn't he at least be a little lethargic? This wasn't right.

Sirius carefully let go of her before grabbing her discarded shirt and quickly pulling it on over her arms and buttoning it. His fingers paused every time they brushed across one of her runes.

"Something's wrong," she said again under her breath.

"Yeah, I got that. Don't worry, I'm going to take care of you, kitten."

He paused when he saw the silvery robe. He may have been gone five years, but he still recognized the distinguishable uniforms of an Unspeakable.

For the first time since he'd felt that _pull _and walked through the arch to the sight of an older Hermione Granger, he studied the dark chamber. There were bloody runes all over the ground arranged in a circle around the veil and Hermione. The witch was staring at the archway like it was the most complicated Arithmancy problem she'd ever had to solve.

He paused as it finally dawned on him what had happened.

"Hermione…" She turned towards him slowly, and he could see the pain reflected in her dark eyes. "What have you done?"

* * *

**AN: Really short chapter. A prologue for the very first installment of this shorter multi-chapter. It'll be nine chapters, and I am planning on working on it as a side project to The Remains. I'm excited though. It'll be a bit of a mystery. **


	2. Unicorn

**AN: I'm having a lot of fun writing this one to be honest!**

**DISCLAIMER: Don't own anything!**

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**Part One: Unicorn**

Hermione looked up at him and said, "Harry. We need to find Harry."

Sirius suddenly had more questions than he could process. He quickly picked up her robe and wrapped it around her shoulders. He decided to ask the easiest one. "How long have I been in there?" Her eyes avoided his, and he could feel his anxiety building up in him. The last thing he remembered was his crazed cousin coming at him.

"There's so much to tell you. Sirius, it's 2001."

He reeled back in shock, and the small witch in front of him flinched. He could feel the anger and bitterness taking over. First, he missed all that time because of Azkaban, and now he'd missed all this time because he'd been stuck in that dark in between. Not quite sure if he was dead or alive.

"Harry…" He choked out. Hermione's hands shot out and her thin fingers gripped his biceps.

"Don't worry! Harry's fine. He's getting married actually." Hermione smiled up at him, but she had tears in her eyes. Instinctually his eyes darted down to her left hand, and some small, uncontrollable, part of him felt relieved when he saw her bare fingers. She shivered and another flash of pain went through her body. She took a deep breath and added, "Voldemort died three years ago." She swayed on her feet. "Harry."

Sirius pushed all his questions down and said, "Right. Okay. Harry. Where do we go?"

She looked up at him and smirked. "Grimmauld Place."

Sirius groaned and wrapped an arm around her waist to keep her upright. "Why on earth would Harry want to live in Grimmauld?"

Hermione was thankful for the distraction of answering Sirius's questions. The pain hadn't ebbed at all. "Ginny gutted the place as soon as Harry proposed. It's actually quite nice." She smiled smally and said, "I also think it made him feel connected to you."

They made it out of the Death Chamber and to the circular room with all the doors. Hermione silently asked for an exit, and the door towards the lifts swung open.

"I hate the bloody Department of Mysteries," Sirius mumbled. "What made you want to be an Unspeakable? Always thought you'd be up in a different department. Fighting the good fight and all that rot."

Hermione sighed and stumbled in her heels. She paused and pulled them off carefully, shoving them into her magically expanded bag. "I guess I was curious." When the lift lurched to take them up to the Atrium, Hermione had to fight off a bout of nausea. Something was definitely wrong.

The atrium was blissfully empty as they made their way to the floos lining the walls.

Once they were safely inside Grimmauld Place, Hermione collapsed on the ground. Sirius caught her around the waist and slowly lowered her down.

She could feel her heartbeat in her entire body and what sounded like rushing water was blocking her hearing. She squeezed her eyes shut and pushed her forehead against the hardwood floor in the living area.

Sirius watched helplessly from above her as she seemed to struggle to breathe.

He could hear creaking floorboards above him, and Sirius hoped his godson had woken up when they came through. He dropped to his knees next to the witch and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Hermione?"

Suddenly there were rushed footsteps down the stairs, and Harry appeared right in front of him. Sirius's eyes watered as he stared at his aged godson. His _aged _godson that was looking at Sirius like he'd just seen a ghost for the first time. Which he supposed wasn't a terribly inaccurate response.

"Harry," Sirius choked out.

Harry's eyes darted between Sirius and his best friend on the ground, and he paled. Her friend, Florenti, had told Harry that he was worried about Hermione. That she was working non-stop, and he had no idea what on. It made sense then. Her refusal to slow down and take a break when Harry begged her to.

She'd brought back Sirius.

Sirius jumped to his feet right as Harry ran into his arms.

He felt tears in his eyes, and he only pulled away when Hermione let out a whimper from the ground.

He gave Sirius one more disbelieving look before dropping to the ground next to Hermione.

"Mione?"

Her eyes looked up at his, and she mumbled out, "Hurts."

Harry heard Ginny coming down the stairs.

"Harry, it's four o'clock in the bloody morning! Who's here?"

Ginny rounded the corner and froze.

"Oh shite."

Her eyes dropped to Hermione and Harry turned around, "Gin! Run and get Mione a pain potion!"

Ginny took one look at her and said, "Maybe we should take her to St. Mungos."

"No!" Hermione protested from the ground. Everyone's eyes widened and she said quietly, "They'll arrest me."

Harry looked up at Sirius and he said grimly, "She used blood magic."

Harry's eyes darted back to Hermione who turned her head so that one of her cheeks was resting on the floor. One of her eyes popped open and she whispered gravelly, "You deserve to have some family at your wedding, Harry."

He let out a choked sob and pulled Hermione into his arms, so that her cheek was pressed into his shoulder instead. "You silly witch. _You're _my family."

Sirius couldn't tear his eyes away from the two. His eyes darted up to Ginny as she reentered the room with a couple potions in her hands, but she didn't seem bothered at all by her fiance holding another witch in his lap. In fact, she seemed to soften at the sight.

"A sleeping draught and Pain potion."

Harry carefully pulled away and helped Hermione down the two potions before carrying her up to a spare bedroom. All three of them watched as Ginny transfigured Hermione's work robes into pajamas and the runes covering her arms became visible.

"What did she do?" Harry asked with pain evident in his voice.

Sirius quietly retold what had happened since he'd felt the pull to the moment they'd stepped through the floo. Once that was done Harry took Sirius to a pensieve upstairs and gave him the most important memories since the battle at the Ministry five years prior.

Harry being locked in that house with the evil Dursley's. Going after the Horcrux with Dumbledore. Draco Malfoy letting Death Eaters into Hogwarts. Snape killing Dumbledore. Moody dying. Bill and Fleur's wedding. The hunt for Horcruxes. Malfoy Manor. _Remus dying_. The fall of Voldemort. Harry becoming an Auror. Harry proposing to Ginny.

When Sirius finally emerged it was nearly seven in the morning and he was crying.

"Little Teddy?"

He asked his silent godson. Harry smiled fondly, "He's a happy kid, I'm babysitting this weekend. You can meet him then."

Sirius smiled and wiped his eyes. "James and Lily would be so proud of you, son."

Harry grinned. "You think so?"

"They'd love Ginny too. She's a fiery one. Lot like your mum that way."

Harry sighed and ran a hand through his messy hair. "You're just in time. Wedding is in two weeks."

Sirius grinned. "Marrying young. Just like Prongs."

Harry laughed, but he stopped abruptly when he heard Ginny's aggravated shouts.

"Get back in bed you crazy bint!"

"No, Ginny! I have to go to work."

"Are you mental!"

Sirius and Harry ran to the other room and watched as Ginny attempted to push an equally aggravated Hermione back in bed.

"You need rest!"

Hermione scowled at Ginny and said, "What I _need_, is to speak to Avitus. Just give me an invigoration draught, and I'll be on my way."

"I'm coming with you," Harry said firmly.

"Me too," Sirius said at the same time Ginny yelled, "Harry!"

The red-head directed her glare at Sirius and he smirked.

"You know, red, I reckon you're turning into your mum. Clucking hen, you are."

Ginny gasped in indignation,

That did it.

She crossed her arms over her chest and turned back to the triumphant witch. "Fine! Go march your sorry workaholic arse back to the department of doom, but don't come crying to me when you've passed out right in the middle of the bloody ministry!"

Ginny spun on her heal and marched out of the room. Hermione grinned at her back and stood.

"Shall we?"

Once everyone was dressed and they'd flooed to Hermione's flat, so she could change the three of them walked into the Ministry.

Hermione and Harry walking in together was already attention grabbing, but Hermione and Harry walking in together with _Sirius Black_, between the two of them was quite another thing. A press team from the Prophet had been there to cover something in the Wizengamot that morning, but at the sight of the three of them, they changed coarse. Harry pushed Hermione and Sirius together and told everyone within hearing distance that Hermione Granger had returned Sirius to the living. There were yells of questions, and Hermione was starting to get dizzy when Harry promised questions would be answered at a later date.

It was odd, Hermione decided, for Harry to work as a liaison to the press for Hermione in that way. She nearly wilted at the pride and adoration in his eyes when he pointed at her and said, "She did it. She's truly the brightest witch. I owe her everything."

After that the flash of magical cameras had her woozily swaying on her feet. Sirius wrapped his arm around her right as another flash went off. They quickly shoved through the crowds after that to get to the lift.

On the lift ride down to level nine, Hermione started to lose her energy. She could feel the pain potion beginning to wear off. Her hand clutched Sirius's arm when the lift gave a particularly rough lurch on the seventh level, and she saw stars behind her eyes for a moment.

"Alright there, kitten?" One of his rough hands landed on top of hers, and she shivered at the contact.

"Fine," She choked out.

Once they were finally to her department, Avitus was waiting for them with his hands tucked neatly into the sleeves of his silver robes.

Her merely tilted his head to the side and said, "I knew you'd make a great addition to our team." His knowing eyes turned to Sirius and he grinned.

Then he spun on his heal and began the walk down the corridor.

"Don't mind him. He works in the Hall of Prophecies," Hermione whispered to Sirius and Harry. She let go of Sirius and slowly made her way down the hall after him. When they entered the circular room for the second time that day, a door that Hermione had never been through was open a crack. She steeled herself and stepped through, closely followed by Harry and Sirius.

She sucked in a breath as soon as she realized what was happening.

It was an all department meeting. The first one to ever be called since her joining. The room had dark walls and dark floor and cieling that made it look like a never ending room. In the middle was a long, white conference table with purple chairs lined up neatly all around it.

"Please have a seat, Mr, Potter and Mr. Black. I believe you have something to show us, Hermione?"

Hermione took a moment to observe everyone in the room. There were nine employees in the Department of Mysteries besides herself. She only ever spoke with Florenti though, and when her eyes landed on him, he winked at her.

She sighed and took off her outer-robe.

"Last night… Actually I suppose it was this morning, I performed an Ancient Ritual to pull Sirius Black from the veil in the Death Chamber." She looked around at the shocked faces around her.

"That's never been done before." An elderly witch by the name of Alma Morley whispered. She seemed to shake herself from her awe and said in a gruff tone, "I'm guessing we're here for a reason, Miss Granger, so what is it?"

Hermione's lips pursed and she said, "Right. Well, I guess you could say, I did not do as much research as I ought to have and the ritual is having some kind of repercussion that I am loathe to admit, I do not understand at all."

Florenti snorted indelicately, and she glared at him. "Sorry, dove." He said with a smirk.

She rolled her eyes as she slowly removed her outer shirt like she had the day before and her runes were put on display. Nearly everyone in the room stood to get a closer look, and Hermione cringed at how much she felt like a muggle science specimen being dissected by eager teens.

"Care to show us all of them?" Alma said.

Hermione flushed. "Is that really necessary?"

Florenti gave her a rare serious expression and said, "Afraid so."

Hermione could feel her blush travelling down her neck as she quickly pulled her blue camisole off and folded it to rest on the table with her shirt. She ignored Sirius's wondering eyes and cursed herself for not wearing one of her more modest bras. Today, it was one Ginny had bought her that was all Slytherin green lace and next to no coverage. She took solace in the fact that all her coworkers, save Florenti, who let out a low whistle, were ignoring the fact that Hermione was half naked in front of them.

Hermione, to distract herself from the curious fingers of various Unspeakables prodding at her skin, began to tell them the details of her ritual.

By the time she was done she was crossing her arms uncomfortably over her bare torso, and everyone had taken a seat save Florenti who was standing to her right studying her the scars there in deep thought.

"Does it hurt?" He asked inquisitively.

"Yes," Hermione responded quietly. "Felt like someone was burning them into my skin and it hasn't dulled at all. Took a pain potion. It helped a little."

Her eyes met Harry's and he was giving her a look that she had seen too many times. The one that meant that he felt responsible. "Don't do that," she whispered under her breath to him.

He practically growled when he said, "But it's my fault!"

Hermione scoffed and said, "Don't be daft."

Avitus spoke up for the first time since the beginning when he said, "Yes, I daresay, Hermione would have attempted this no matter what."

Hermione nodded grimly and said, "It's true."

"I know someone," Florenti started and scratched the back of his head. "Someone from my time in school at Koldovstoretz that used to dabble in blood magic."

"Dabble?" Hermione inquired.

Florenti grew a dark expression as his eyes met hers for a moment. "A very dark wizard, Hermione."

Avitus tapped his nose before saying, "I believe the ritual you performed was some kind of trade."

"A life for a life," another Wizard added from further down the table.

Hermione's mind whirred as Sirius suddenly grew very pale from his place next to Harry.

"If that were true, shouldn't I have died as soon as he'd left the veil?"

Hermione was disassociating mildly to maintain her sanity. "I should think so," Alma added thoughtfully.

Florenti finally took his seat, and Hermione quickly pulled her camisole back on and tucked it into her muggle business pants.

"If what I did was a life for a life, but I'm not dead, what does that mean?"

Her eyes roved from one face to another in the room, and her hope slowly diminished as everyone in the room seemed just as unsure as she.

"I imagine it means, you don't have much time," Avitus said matter-of-factly.

Hermione paled and avoided Sirius and Harry's eyes.

Florenti cleared his throat and leaned forward with his forearms flat on the table. "This wizard, that I spoke of, his name is Stanislav."

Alma gasped and said, "You don't mean…"

Florenti nodded and said, "Yes. Stanislav Voronin."

Hermione was thoroughly confused as horror took over the expression of nearly half the people in the room.

"Who is he?" She asked urgently.

"He is bringer of dead, Hermione. He knows more of ancient blood rituals than anyone I know."

Sirius grumbled something that sounded distinctly like, "Do _not _like the sound of that."

"If anyone will know what to do, it's him," Florenti said reluctantly.

"Where can I find him?" Everyone looked at her in shock.

Florenti shook his head, "You can not."

She essentially stomped her foot in frustration, "Why the bloody hell not!"

His lips twitched before turning back into a frown. "He's in the Russian Wizarding prison."

"It is impossible," another witch said.

"No one in their right mind would go to that place," Alma yelled.

Hermione turned and for the first time looked at Harry. He was studying her with the same look he'd had in her flat over two years ago when she'd told him that she was going to be an Unspeakable.

Resigned, disapproving, and a little sick to his stomach.

"Well you can't go alone," Harry said finally. She could tell from that comment that he'd resigned himself to travel with her on this journey.

"No. Absolutely not, Harry. You're about to get married. You're about to get that promotion! Ginny would kill you, and Robards needs you. I got myself into this mess, I'll get myself out."

She could see the anger building in his emerald green eyes.

"Easy solution then," Sirius spoke up. When Harry looked at him, he said simply, "I'll go."

They both turned to Hermione whose lips thinned imperceptibly, but otherwise didn't protest.

"You pulled me out of that dark place, kitten. I'm _going_ to help you."

* * *

Hermione, Sirius, and Florenti stood crouched over a map of Russia in Grimmauld Place's library later that evening. Hermione was doped up on invigoration draughts and pain potions and trying desperately not to let on how much the runes were hurting her.

Once word got out to the remaining members of the Order that Sirius Black was back from the dead George immediately set into action a large welcome back party that very same night at Grimmauld.

They weren't disclosing to anyone the truth behind Sirius's return, but if they were being honest, that was because they didn't exactly know the truth. Hermione was getting more and more anxious with every new tremble in her body. Sirius's sharp eyes flew to her every time.

"So… the prison is located somewhere in the Ural Mountains.

Sirius groaned. "Mate, do you know how vast the Ural Mountains are?"

Florenti sneered at him, "I am from Russia. I know of the vastness."

"Isn't there a ministry we could go through?" Hermione asked as she pressed her fingertips to the bridge of her nose.

"Russian Wizarding government is anarchy," he said quietly.

"Anarchy?" Sirius asked.

"Essentially, there is no Russian government," Hermione clarified.

"But there's a Russian Wizarding school?"

Hermione waved her hand in frustration. "This is all irrelevant. How are we going to find this prison, Florenti?"

Sirius frowned when the Russian man reached over and began to run a comforting hand over Hermione's back when another tremor shook her body.

"I have an aunt," he pointed at the Northernmost part of the Mountain range with his free hand. "I will send owl. Tell her you're coming. She lives at base of Mount Konstantinov Kamen. She will know the way."

Florenti's hand paused on her back, and he looked down at Hermione.

"I could come," he offered.

Hermione's eyes darted to Sirius, and she got flashbacks to all the fights that had occurred between Ron and Harry when they'd been on the run. Sirius already seemed to hold some type of resentment for her friend, so she shook her head firmly.

"You've already been such a help, Florenti. I couldn't ask that of you."

Sirius's lips twitched up, and Florenti removed his hand. "It is no problem." He gave her a bitter smile and said, "I understand. You're a witch who can not be convinced of things."

Hermione smiled and reached out to squeeze his hand. "Thank you, Florenti. Truly."

He squeezed her hand back before taking a step back and adjusting his robes on his shoulders. "Anything for you, dove."

"Will you be back for the party?" She asked hopefully.

"Yes, of course." Hermione tried to stand to walk him to the floo, but he shook his head.

"You nap before party."

She nodded and said, "Yes, probably a good idea."

As soon as Florenti was gone, Sirius cleared his throat and said, "That wizard is carrying a bit of a torch for you, Granger."

Hermione gave him an incredulous look. "We're friends, Sirius."

He snorted and reached for her elbow to help her up. "Still a bit dense when it comes to the opposite sex, I see."

Hermione gasped and hit him as hard as she could in her weakened state, "I don't know what you mean."

She held onto him tightly as he led her up the stairs to her guest room that she had occupied just that morning. "Come on, kitten. You had no idea Krum liked you until he asked you to the Yule Ball. Then, don't even get me started on Weasley!"

Hermione scoffed, "Yes, well, Ronald and I weren't exactly compatible. Tried it out for a bit. Did _not _work out."

Sirius barked out a laugh, "Well, I could've told you that would happen."

Hermione suddenly grew very tired of the direction of the conversation. She'd gone on a few dates since dating Ron, but none of them really made it that far. Oliver Wood made it a couple dates, but the Quidditch talk got to her. Then Ernie McMillan, though the conversation was much more intellectually fascinating, had zero physical chemistry. It had been like she imagined it would be like if she kissed Harry. Krum and her had reconnected a year earlier and one completely drunken night, she had given him everything, but then he had to go back to Bulgaria, and she was _so _engulfed in her research that she broke it off with the excuse of bad timing. One year of chastity later, and here she was, talking to Sirius Black about her so called ignorance regarding the male sex.

Hermione refused to respond as she finally made it to her room.

He carefully helped her into her bed before making a dramatic show of tucking her in and winking.

"I'll wake you before my grand party. Then in the morning, we're off to Russia." Hermione cringed and rolled onto her side.

"I think, I am in denial about all of this," she whispered.

Sirius frowned down at her and sat on the edge of her bed. "Hermione, we'll figure this out."

He looked down at her as she worriedly gnawed on her bottom lip. He owed this small witch everything. He didn't know what he'd done to deserve a second chance. Part of him wished he was up there (wherever there was) with Prongs and Moony, but then he thought of Harry and that thought disappeared.

Sirius stayed by her side until she finally relaxed enough to fall asleep before slowly slipping out of the room and shutting the door.

Harry was waiting for him on the other side.

He was still adjusting to his godson's age. He was the age of James the last time he'd seen him, and he looked so much like him that it nearly hurt to look at him.

"Harry!" Sirius clapped a hand on his shoulder and watched as Harry cocked his head to the side curiously.

And there was the Lily in him.

"Care for a drink, Sirius?"

Sirius followed him all the way to the small breakfast table branching off from the kitchen and watched as Harry poured two tumblers of firewhiskey.

Harry sat down and stared at Sirius over his glass.

After a couple minutes of comfortable silence, Harry said firmly with no room for questions, "You'll take care of her, Sirius."

Sirius's eyes widened slightly before he cooled his expression and said, "I owe that witch a life debt. Of course I'll take care of her."

Harry's expression remained blank for a moment before he nodded in acceptance and whispered, "After the war we just had each other. I'd lost you and Remus, and her parents memories couldn't be reversed… The Weasley's were like family to us, but they couldn't understand. We became each other's family." Sirius hadn't known about her parents. From the pensieve he'd gathered that she obliviated them, but not that she'd been unable to reverse it. When he looked back towards Harry the boy, no, _man_, had tears in his eyes. "I can't lose her too, Sirius."

Sirius felt a pang of guilt. She saved him, possibly at the cost of her own life, and he was painfully aware of how unworthy he was.

Hermione Granger for Sirius Black hardly seemed like a fair trade.

"If I have to walk back into that veil for her, I will, Harry. I promise."

Harry shook his head and frowned. "I don't want that either, Sirius. I just want you to do everything you can."

Sirius took a deep gulp of his firewhiskey and said, "That, I can do."

* * *

Sirius woke Hermione about fifteen minutes before the party, and she was currently allowing Ginny to shove her into one of the red head's many party dresses.

It was a form fitting lavender dress that fell a few inches above her knee and had a less than modest neckline.

"Ginny, I can _not _wear this."

She watched as the red-head ignored her in favor of working on a glamour to cover her runes.

"Ginny!"

The witch responded by pinching Hermione's arse and smirking in the mirror. Hermione yelped and Ginny said, "Last few weeks on earth, I am getting you _laid_, Hermione Granger."

Hermione flushed and said indignantly, "I do not need to get laid."

Ginny hummed disapprovingly and started braiding Hermione's hair. "I personally think either Sirius Black or that Florenti guy, are both _excellent _options."

"Ginny!"

"I mean have you _seen_ their arses!"

Hermione covered her face with her hands as the evil witch cackled behind her. "You're getting married, you shouldn't be looking at anyone's arses but Harry's!"

"I can look. I just can't touch," Ginny said flatly.

"Oh, Merlin."

Once Ginny had finished with Hermione's hair, people had started arriving downstairs. She let her friend drag her downstairs and before she knew it she was standing in the corner with a glass of wine in hand, silently observing everyone in the room. George had truly outdone himself. There were a crazy amount of people in the house, and there was loud music playing on the wireless.

George himself was making rounds in his Wizarding Wheezes uniform with a tray full of candy that she was sure, were some part of a dangerous prank.

She quickly declined when he offered it to her.

"Always a clever one, Granger!" He said before flitting away to stand next to his very pregnant wife, Angelina Johnson.

After the war, George took nearly a year to reopen his shop after losing Fred. Then a year after that, he was married to Angelina. Hermione couldn't wait to meet little Fred jr.

A pang of loss suddenly hit her and her face dropped.

What if she didn't make it that long?

Florenti appeared in front of her then and dropped into a deep bow. "Care to dance, dove?"

Hermione frowned. "No one is dancing, Florenti."

He ignored her and pulled her into his arms. She scrambled to place her drink on a passing floating trey before he was guiding her across the room quite dramatically. She actually found herself grateful for the distraction when he spun her and had her laughing at the outrageousness of it all.

Soon more people started dancing, and Hermione smiled at the sight of Ron standing unsuredly in front of an enthusiastically dancing Luna.

"You need to be careful with Stanislav, Hermione." Hermione's smile faded at the warning in Florenti's tone.

"I know," she assured. She'd heard rumors about this Russian prison. It's remote, and full of some of the darkest witches and wizards.

Florenti's grip on her hand tightened and he said, "He plays games. He'll try to trick you."

Hermione rolled her eyes, "I've had my fair share of dark wizards."

He smiled at her, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. "Yes, I imagine so."

Hermione remembered then, Sirius's comment about the wizard holding her. "Florenti…"

He must've seen something in her eyes because he suddenly pulled away, "Just come back, Hermione. We'll talk then."

Hermione stood there in shock as he slipped away into the crowd.

"So… not Florenti then?"

Hermione turned and glared at Ginny. "I am _not_ sleeping with anyone tonight, Ginny!"

"Well, that just sounds incredibly boring." Hermione spun and flushed at the sight of a very intrigued Sirius.

She groaned out, "Ugh, not you too!"

"Sirius, will you please have sex with Hermione tonight?" Ginny asked sweetly.

Hermione's hands, once again, flew to her red cheeks. "Oh my god, Ginny!"

Sirius barked out a laugh and said, "I like you, red."

Ginny smirked behind her glass and wiggled her fingers on her left hand, "Paws off, mutt. I'm taken."

Hermione's hand went to pinch the bridge of her nose, and she grumbled something about needing a drink before getting out of there as fast as she could manage.

She spent the rest of the night drifting around and having as many conversations with the people she was closest to as she could. It was hardest talking to Ron and Mrs. Weasley and pretending like she wasn't about to go on a mission to the most dangerous wizarding prison with Sirius Black to try and save her own life. She wanted so badly to hug Ron close, and tell him how much she loved him despite their fighting. She wanted to tell Molly that she appreciated how she'd brought her into her home after the war. There were so many things she wanted to say.

By the end of the night she was so emotionally and physically exhausted that her hands were trembling as she tried to use magic to pack her bag for a trip like when they'd gone after the Horcruxes.

It was similar in that she had _no idea _what she was preparing for.

Her magic was hardly cooperating either which was the final straw.

When Harry came up to check on her she was laying on the ground of her room in her party dress crying her eyes out with items strewn across the room that she'd been trying to pack.

Harry yelled out in surprise, "Hermione!"

He hesitantly stepped into the room, and his eyes roved warily across all the items. Ginny and Sirius appeared behind him in the doorway with wide eyes. "My magic isn't working, Harry." She choked out.

Ginny ended up being the one who held her in her arms to try and calm her down as her glamour slowly faded and Sirius and Harry worked to shove everything into Hermione's expanded bag.

Hermione was having a full blown panic attack.

"My magic is fading, and it hurts, and I don't know what to do or even _where_ this bloody prison is!"

It wasn't until Sirius crouched in front of her and laid a gentle hand on her shoulder that an odd sort of calm took over her. Her sobs slowly faded to hiccups as he whispered reassurances.

Harry watched with a curious expression as Sirius's presence seemed to calm her down tremendously. His eyes darted to Ginny as she seemed to notice the same thing. She wiggled her eyebrows at him in a manner similar to George, and Harry paled.

"We can do _this_, Hermione," His godfather reassured.

Hermione sniffled and slowly nodded her head, "Okay."

* * *

**AN: Second installment done! Off to Russia they go. I definitely took creative liberties with Russia. I have no idea what the wizarding world in Russia is like and I honestly have no idea what Russia is like in the real world:/**

**Thanks for the follows, favorites, and reviews! Hope you're enjoying this story so far. I love Ginny and Harry so much I cry:')**


	3. Graphorn

**AN: Sorry for the long break from this story. As I said from the prologue, The Remains was my main focus until it was finished, but now that it is, I will be updating this one much more frequently! Hope you enjoy!**

**Also, I am sorry if anyone actually from Russia is reading this, and I got anything incorrect about the geography or anything. Feel free to PM me and let me know! Otherwise I am going to continue to have fun with my creative liberties;)**

**DISCLAIMER: Don't own anything!**

* * *

**Part Two: Graphorn**

Hermione woke up the next morning in pain, but determined.

If asked to describe the pain, she would say that it was like every single one of her nerve endings were at the top of her skin. Light touches felt like razor blades and her clothes lightly touching her skin all night had pushed her to sleep in the bare minimum on the wooden floor. Pressure didn't hurt as much.

When Ginny came to wake her for breakfast, she was laying on her stomach in the middle of the floor in just her knickers.

Ginny just stood there opening and closing her mouth in confusion for nearly an entire minute.

"Hermione?" She finally asked.

When Harry came up behind her and looked over her shoulder, he immediately turned around to go back downstairs.

"Yeah, this looks like a you thing, Gin."

Sirius came out of his room then in just his pajama bottoms and glanced over Ginny's shoulder as well.

"What is she doing?" He asked with a frown.

Ginny shrugged. "Don't know. Hasn't moved an inch."

They both stood there staring at Hermione with their heads cocked to the side.

"Are you okay, kitten?"

"My clothes hurt," she said plainly.

Ginny lips twitched downward, and she turned to follow Harry down the stairs.

"This actually looks like a you thing, Sirius," she mimicked her fiance's words.

Sirius's frown deepened further before he sighed and took a step into the room. If Hermione's back wasn't moving up and down with her deep breaths, he would honestly think she was dead. He took a moment to study the runes covering her bare back, and for the first time in his life, found himself wishing he'd taken Ancient Runes at Hogwarts. There were so many of them, that he'd bargain they filled more space than even his tattoos. He took a deep breath.

"Why do your clothes hurt?"

Her words were muffled against the ground as she explained to him what her skin felt like.

"Tight clothes, then?"

She lifted her head to look up at him and gave him a thoughtful expression. "I suppose."

"Where are your clothes?"

She moved her head less than an inch in a general direction, and he quickly found the magically expanded bag. After digging around in it for a few minutes with no help from the prone witch, he finally found something that might be suitable.

"Okay, how are we going to do this?" His voice held mild trepidation. He'd meant it when he saw her after coming out of the veil and said that she'd aged well. It'd been a long time since he'd seen a witch that perfect.

Hermione held a hand out and hissed when he placed the bundle there.

She went to lift herself up, but when she saw that Sirius wasn't moving she flushed. "Turn around," she insisted.

He smirked at her before spinning, and he listened to her quiet groans as she pushed herself up.

A few seconds later she squeaked and thumped him on the head.

"Really, Sirius!"

He resisted turning around all the way up until a frilly mesh bra was dangling right in front of his eyes. He smirked at his own transfiguration skills.

"Don't like it, kitten?"

Hermione, as a matter of pride, left it hanging and demanded he fix it himself.

"Are you sure? Based on what you were wearing yesterday, I thought this would suit you."

"Ginny bought that for me!" Hermione could feel her entire body heating up. "Never mind, I'll do it myself."

She pulled it back and tried to cancel the transfiguration, but it didn't work. The typically gentle hum of her magic felt like it was fluttering in and out of existence like a small candle being held in a breeze.

She sucked up her pride and held it in front of him again.  
"I need you to do it," she whispered.

Sirius went to argue, but then he heard her sniffle and realized her magic must not be working again. He sighed and waved his wand in front of it.

When it was tugged angrily back behind him, he sighed. "Hermione, you've made a grave mistake. You would've looked incredible in that."

When she let out a watery laugh, he grinned.

* * *

When they finally made it down for breakfast Hermione was leaning heavily on Sirius.

Harry didn't even bother hiding how concerned he was at the image of Hermione struggling just to drop herself down into the chair. How were they supposed to travel through the mountains if Hermione could barely walk by herself to breakfast? Sirius must've been thinking the same thing based on the look he turned to Harry.

Hermione tried to muster a cheerful smile, but it dropped when she spotted the Prophet sitting in the middle of the table.

Right there on the front cover was a moving picture of the moment Sirius wrapped his arm around her to pull her towards the lifts. She gasped and snatched the paper, her eyes scanning over the article.

"That _cow_!" Hermione was seething, and her hands trembled when she threw the paper and growled, "Biggest slag of the Wizarding World gets desperate enough to bring a boyfriend back from the dead! That's what she's saying about me!"

Sirius investigated the paper himself.

"I'm going to have to pay her a visit when we get back," Hermione hissed.

"She called me your boyfriend," Sirius smirked.

"She called _me_ a slag!"

Harry sighed and pushed her plate closer to her. "Just eat your breakfast, Hermione."

The meal crawled by slowly as the three occupants watched Hermione's energy slowly deplete, and her food just get pushed around the plate. By the time their portkey was set to go off in just barely ten minutes, Hermione had barely taken two bites of the large meal Harry had cooked, and she looked like she could barely hold herself up in the chair.

Sirius was seriously concerned for exactly how they would be able to make it to the prison at all with how things were currently going.

With the help of Ginny, Hermione stood and donned a zip-up muggle hiking jacket as well as a pair of thick boots. Sirius earlier had handed her a tight pair of work out leggings as well as a tight long-sleeve top.

Ginny, in the last few minutes before the portkey, braided Hermione's hair into a tight french braid, so that the curls would be out of the way. Right before they were set to leave, Ginny for the first time since Hermione showed up the previous morning, looked at her friend with a vulnerable and worried expression. Ginny was one of the toughest people Hermione knew. Fear and concern were not something she often showed, so to see it on her face made the situation seem all that grimmer. Ginny grabbed her up in a tight hug and sniffled into Hermione's shoulder.

Hermione weakly wrapped her own arms around her friend and held her closely.

"It's going to be fine, Gin. You'll see. We'll be back before you know it." The reassurances sounded frail even to her own ears.

Ginny pushed away from her then and angrily wiped her eyes. She glared at Hermione and said strongly, "You better. You're my Maid of Honor, you great swot." She pressed a smacking kiss to Hermione's forehead and ignored the way Hermione flinched away from the touch. Her glare turned on Sirius then and she said menacingly, "You bring her home, Sirius, or there will be hell to pay."

Harry grimaced and quietly admonished, "Ginny…"

When her glare turned on her fiance, Harry sighed before turning and wrapping Hermione in a quick embrace.

"Be safe, Hermione. Try not to do anything too rash."

Harry Potter telling Hermione Granger not to be rash would have been laughable in most situations, but Hermione couldn't find it in herself to do so.

"Kitten, it's time to go," Sirius said regretfully.

Hermione pulled away from Harry and wiped her eyes. "Right then."

She turned towards Sirius and tried to give him a reassuring smile. "It will be fine. We'll be fine."

His lips thinned, but he gave a jerky nod nonetheless. Right as her fingers touched the small tea-cup that was their portkey, a blue flash went through the room, and they were gone.

* * *

The first thing Hermione noticed when they landed, was that international portkeys in her condition were a very bad, truly terrible, idea. She collapsed on her knees in the cold dirt, and braced herself on her palms. She could feel the meager amount of breakfast she'd managed to eat roiling in her stomach in a manner that was less than pleasant. One of her hands shakily made its way up to cover her mouth, and she took a few deep breaths to quell the nausea.

A few seconds later, she opened her eyes and looked at Sirius who was standing in front of her watching her in concern.

Her hand twitched towards him, but before she could even ask, he was reaching down and pulling her up. When she was standing on her feet again and the world had stopped spinning she looked around her. They seemed to have landed in some kind of valley. Surrounding them on all sides were mountain tops with snow-covered peaks, and maybe ten paces out in every direction there was dense forest.

"Excellent," Hermione mumbled to herself as Sirius made to pull out the map. Without even thinking, she latched onto his elbow to help keep herself steady.

When the map was open Sirius magiced it to levitate in front of them, and they watched as the Wizarding map slowly expanded until it was a three-dimensional map that showed all of the terrain. Hermione marveled at the magic, as Sirius started to speak.

"Okay, so the Ministry port-key has dropped us here."

Sirius pulled out a muggle pen that she had given him yesterday, and marked a certain clearing in an identical looking Valley.

"Now we just have to get here."

He pointed to where Florenti had marked an empty clearing just a few inches away on the map, but just at the bottom of Mount Konstantinov Kamen as he had said.

Hermione nodded in understanding and said, "So we head South?"

Sirius's free hand landed on hers on his elbow, and he nodded. "Yes. Looks to be about a days journey by broom. I expect we'll get there sometime in the night."

Hermione sighed and then did her best to mentally prepare herself for the physical journey ahead. They'd decided the night before that attempting to apparate to an unfamiliar location was too risky based on multiple factors. Not only was Hermione to weak to handle multiple apparitions, but their time constraints didn't exactly allow for recovery time should they splinch themselves during their efforts. That's when Harry had brought up flying.

Hermione had paled and protested vehemently, but Sirius, Ginny, and Harry had all insisted that it was the least risky and most time-efficient option available to them. Plus, Sirius had made a cheeky comment about not letting her fall.

She watched him pull a broom from the bag she had magically expanded for him. Harry had given him his old broom from his Hogwarts days, and as Hermione stared at it, she was hit with a few memories. Sirius put the map away before turning to look at her.

"Ready?"

She blanched and said quietly, "You know, I thought you had jinxed that broom to kill Harry in our third year."

Sirius grinned at her and yanked on one of her curls that had pulled free when they had portkeyed. It was such a brotherly affectionate thing to do that Hermione felt something drop in her chest. There was no doubt in her mind that she found the man she had brought back from the veil devastatingly handsome. He was thirty-six, but probably one of the youngest looking thirty-six year olds she knew. The way his grey eyes sparkled at her under the Russian noon-sun in that moment had her heart skipping beats and left her feeling infinitesimally more weak. _Not _good.

"I'm glad someone has looked out for him in my absence, kitten," his voice had a husky quality to it from the sheer amount of muggle cigarettes he had smoked in the three years he'd been out of Azkaban, and though Hermione detested the vice, the effect it had on his voice was pleasant to say the least.

She smiled up at him nervously before her eyes turned back to the broom. "Right then," she managed to choke out which earned an odd look from Sirius. "Let's do this."

She put on as brave a face as she could manage when Sirius mounted the broom and held his hand out to her, but as soon as was seated herself, that broke like a dam and she was shaking despite herself.

"I meant it when I said I wouldn't let you fall," Sirius rasped from slightly above her.

She nodded to assure herself before slowly pulling herself up to be seated in front of him. She was sitting rigidly with a few inches of space between them and a death grip on the handle in front of her when Sirius chuckled to himself and wrapped one of his large hands around her waist to pull her back to him. She gasped when her back was pressed fully into his chest and his arms wrapped around her waist to hold the broom in front of her.

"You'll never last the whole trip like that, kitten. Just let me hold you."

She sat tensely for another moment as they hovered a few feet above the ground before relaxing fully against him. She was so tired already, and their day had barely begun.

Before he kicked off Sirius pressed an affectionate kiss to the back of her head and whispered, "Nothing fancy. I'm just going to fly us straight there."

She sighed before letting her head fall to rest against one of his collarbones and shutting her eyes. "Thank you, Sirius."

She felt him kick-off, but with her eyes shut tight, and his arms wrapped around her, it wasn't nearly as terrifying as any of her other experiences with flying.

The cold air on her prickling skin felt nice and provided a mild relief to the aches coarsing through her body, and just a couple hours into the silent flight, she found herself, by some sort of miracle, drifting off against him.

* * *

Sirius hadn't even known how far they had flown. He'd checked the map periodically where he'd charmed the small dot that he'd drawn to follow their location just as the Marauder's map had done. The small witch in front of him had fallen asleep early in the day, and just a few hours after that, around five p.m. the sun set over the trees. Being so close to the arctic circle left the sun rising and setting at odd hours, but even though it was distinguishably darker, the early September sky seemed to be trapped in twilight. When it slowly got slightly darker, he had checked the map to see that they were maybe only another hour away from the dot marking Florenti's aunt's location.

Flying in the open air like this was a welcome reprieve to the swirling void that he had experienced for the past five years.

The chaotic nature of his first two days back in the living world left no room for contemplation. His primary focus had been the witch in front of him and whatever dark and absolutely mad magic she had used to give him this second chance at life. He hadn't had time to think about Moony or any grief because all he could think about was how for the first time in his life, he'd been given a chance to live life. _Truly _live life. But with this chance, came the cold and harsh reality that living his life might very well cause the end of the young and brilliant one currently cradled in his arms. And as much as he wanted this chance, he wanted his godson's happiness more.

That was what he had contemplated for the endless amount of time Hermione seemed to sleep as they flew through the air. He calculated his own willingness to give it all up if it meant she would live, and he realized with certainty that he would do it in a heartbeat.

What a tease.

Just a few weeks of living and then he'd just pop out of existence again. He'd go back to that endless and dark place where you weren't much of anything. Hardly sentient and hardly a soul at all. It was maddening. Sirius's entire existence was maddening.

Just over forty-five minutes later, billowing smoke could be seen in the moonlight just above the tree line. Sirius, in his eagerness to get off the broom, leant down to increase speed. In doing this, he unknowingly jostled Hermione who then woke up with a start.

He felt her twitch in front of him before she let out a low moan of pain and shut her eyes again.

"Hold on. Almost there," he said loudly over the rushing wind.

One of her small hands reached up to grip him tightly on his forearm, and he tried to suppress the feelings that seemed to be popping up every time she touched him. He figured it was just his luck that he would develop any sort of affection for such a strictly forbidden witch.

Before he knew it, the small and clearly ancient cottage was coming into view in front of them.

It was in the middle of the small clearing and appeared to be completely isolated from any other people. In their entire journey over the forest, Sirius hadn't seen a single person or structure. Suddenly, his quip to Florenti about the vastness of the Ural Mountains seemed way too true.

Hermione's fingers gripped his light jacket impossibly tighter as he descended before she reluctantly released him so that he could dismount. His legs were wobbly and his muscles ached, but he still lifted the witch from the broom upon seeing her hesitation to get down herself. The burn in his muscles from lifting her was a silent reprieve from the hours of stationary strain.

Once they were both steadily on their feet with the broom put away, Sirius pulled out the map one last time and saw that they were directly on top of the place Florenti had marked.

The cottage from the outside looked to be just one square of grey stone and a cobbled roof. In the darkness, Sirius could see just the flickering of orange light from the fire sure to be lit inside, and the steady stream of smoke billowing from the crooked chimney. It was maybe the same size as the shrieking shack and just as run down.

Sirius stared on in trepidation as he pulled Hermione firmly to his side. Florenti had told them that his aunt was kind, and always accepted visitors, but what he saw in front of him more resembled an evil witch's cottage in a fairy tale than a kind woman expecting visitors. The eerie sounds emitting from the dense forest around them did nothing to calm his nerves.

"Sirius?" Hermione's sleepy and confused voice broke his revery, and he glanced down at her with a comforting smile pulling at the corner of his lips.

"I guess beggars can't be choosers, huh love?"

She shivered against him, and he watched her carefully as her eyes darted from him to the cottage in front of them. Her eyes were bleary and slightly dazed from what he assumed was a pain induced sleep, and her cheeks were flushed from her unbreakable fever. After a few moments of observation, her eyes looked back up to his, and she said lightly, "Maybe it's nicer on the inside?"

Just then, the wooden door to the cottage creaked open and a lumos lit wand slipped out of the small crack. When an older face followed it and studied them in the darkness, Sirius felt Hermione sink even closer to him.

"Are you just going to stand there?" Her voice was strong and heavily accented. It echoed across the ten pace distance between them like a muggle shotgun backfiring.

Hermione was the first to react. She stumbled slowly closer to the voice, and Sirius followed her like they were magnetized together. As soon as she was close enough, Hermione held out a tremor induced hand and said pleasantly, "Hello, you must be Florenti's aunt. My name is Hermione."

The witch's dark eyes darted down to the hand before flying back up to stare directly at Sirius over Hermione's shoulder. He watched as the older woman's gaze followed Sirius arm to the place it lay gripped on Hermione's waist before going back up to stare at Hermione's slightly strained smile.

"I know who you are, child. This man, however, I do not know. Come in."

She had a brash way of speaking that left Sirius feeling minorly spooked, but he followed Hermione in through the doorway nonetheless. Inside looked very much as one would guess upon seeing the exterior. It was a small home with just a single room. In the corner rested a made-up bed, and in the middle of the room was a small table with two chairs sitting at it. There was a small kitchenette close to the door, and directly across from the entrance was a crackling fireplace.

Sirius watched as the woman bustled to the kitchenette and started to prepare a pot of tea.

"My name is Sasha Petrov." She glanced up at where the two stood stiffly close to the door before turning back to the tea and adding, "You two may call me Tetya Sasha."

Sirius remembered Florenti referring to her as Tetya Sasha on more than one occasion, and justly assumed that Tetya was Russian for Aunt. The insistence of the casual address seemed out of character based on what he'd observed, but he nodded anyway.

Once tea had been made, Tetya Sasha hurded Hermione to sit in one of the creaky wooden chairs before taking the seat across from her herself.

Sirius took a moment to really look at the woman in the hue of the crackling fire.

Tetya Sasha had a distinctly sad face, with wrinkles at the corners of her mouth and a permanently haunted expression. She looked like Florenti with her salt and pepper hair and dark eyes, but Sirius could tell she was a woman touched by somber experiences. It was like there was a physical weight bearing down on the woman.

Hermione delicately sipped her tea, and the three sat in an uncomfortable silence before Sasha broke it again.

"You're hungry, no?"

She didn't even wait for a response before moving to a pot that was sitting on the stove and slowly spooning two large helpings of what looked to be some kind of beef stew. When she returned to the table she handed one bowl to Hermione and the other to Sirius.

Sirius transfigured an empty candle holder into a chair and took a seat beside Hermione.

"Who are you?" Sasha's voice cut through right as Sirius had spooned the first bite of stew into his mouth.

He swallowed his bite before saying, "Sirius Black."

The woman's eyes flashed in recognition, and he watched as she stood and made her way to a small bookcase on one of the walls. She returned and placed a copy of the Daily Prophet from just that morning on the table between them. Her wrinkled finger landed on the large picture, and Hermione made a sound of disgust at the article.

"You were dead, no?"

Sirius flinched under her unwavering gaze and said, "Yes," before glancing at the downcast eyes of the witch beside him. He watched as she moved her spoon around before leaning down and saying quietly, "Eat, kitten."

Sasha studied Hermione quietly as Sirius whispered in her ear small encouragements about the food. Hermione was pale besides the unnaturally deep flush still painted across her cheeks, and the tremors still shaking her body, left the spoon clinking often against the simple bowl.

"My Florenti said you are dying." Hermione's eyes widened, and she pulled away from Sirius to look up at Sasha. "He say you do some kind of spell that weakened you." The woman paused before her eyes darted to Sirius. He could see the burning curiosity building in her gaze. "For _him_." At that last word, she jerked her head in Sirius's direction before tilting her head thoughtfully. After a moment she turned back to the deathly pale Hermione. Sirius could sense an underlying bitterness in her tone that he couldn't quite understand. Sasha continued, "Florenti is fond of you. You are mentioned in every letter he sends home. Says you are the sun and stars of British Ministry."

Hermione averted her eyes to the floor beside her, and Sirius shifted uncomfortably. Sasha's disdain for Sirius made sense then. He'd been correct in assuming that Florenti's affections for Hermione ran deeper than she knew, and based on Hermione's blatant discomfort, the feeling was not mutual.

"Florenti has been very kind to me." Hermione paused before making eye-contact with the woman and saying carefully, "He is a very dear friend."

Sirius watched as Sasha's eyes grew disheartened and the sadness that had been seeping through the cracks of her mannerisms was suddenly more apparent. "I see," she said quietly.

Sasha stood then and picked up their empty tea-cups to move them to the sink.

"I will leave you to your meals now. It is nearly two in the morning. The sun will rise in just a couple hours. You will have to share the bed."

To Sirius's complete surprise, Sasha pulled out her wand and waved it over what appeared to be just an empty space on the floor, but instead, a cellar door came into existence. She opened the creaking iron hatch and started to take steps down into what must have been a basement. She paused when just her head peeked out from the floorboards.

"I will wake you in morning to show you location of prison." With that, she was gone and the hatch was shut firmly behind her.

Sirius's eyes traveled slowly back to Hermione, and he watched as she took a couple more bites of the stew before setting the spoon down with a sigh.

Once he was done with his own meal, he stood and quickly charmed the dishes clean before placing them back in one of the old cabinets. He walked over to Hermione and stood beside her chair. Her eyes were drooping with fatigue despite the copious amounts of sleep she'd gotten on the broom, and Sirius was feeling much the same. He crouched down so that he was right in front of her and gently tugged on one of her curls.

"You can have the bed, kitten."

Her eyes snapped open at that, and she looked at the small full sized bed in the corner. "Don't be silly, Sirius. It's big enough for the both of us."

He sucked in a harsh breath at that, and glanced nervously over her shoulder at what was sure to be a cramped bed for two people. It had been twenty years since he'd shared a bed with anyone, let alone a pretty witch. Fifteen if you didn't count the years he'd technically been dead. He looked back to her to see her blinking earnestly at him with those big brown eyes.

It was hard to separate the witch in front of him with the bushy haired girl he'd known before. She'd been bookish and self-righteous, and he'd liked her alright, if only for the reason that she was entirely too amusing when riled up. What he remembered most of all, was her never-ending loyalty to his godson. There was no doubt in his mind that Hermione had changed from that innocent sixteen-year-old he'd last seen taking a stand with Harry in the Department of Mysteries. He'd noticed the most obvious changes as soon as he'd fallen out of the veil to the sight of her in her muggle work attire.

Now though, he could see that more than just her physical appearance had changed. Things had happened to her in the war during his absence. Things that warranted her to be the muggleborn sweetheart of all of Wizarding Society. Things that made him have a newfound adoration and respect for her.

Looking at her now, as she stared at him honestly, and offered him the bed despite the fact that she was quite likely _dying_, made him realize that there were so many things about this _new _Hermione that he didn't know. Things he found he would very much like to learn. He found himself being drawn to her in an inexplicable manner. He'd felt the pull the night before at the party, and he'd felt it when she'd charged ahead to introduce herself to Florenti's aunt. He wondered if it had to do with whatever spell she'd used, or if it was just his lingering feelings of loneliness that he had never been able to shake off following Azkaban. Either way, these were feelings he didn't know how to manage in their circumstances.

"Alright then," he finally managed before helping her stand and leading her to the edge of the bed.

He then carefully took her boots and jacket off, and helped her to undo her braid. Once she had collapsed back and was curled with her back to the wall on the far side, Sirius found himself nervous for the first time when it came to the act of taking off his clothes.

He took off his muggle jeans and jacket quickly before pulling off his t-shirt with it. He didn't think she would appreciate him climbing in after her in just his boxers, so he accioed a pair of sleep pants from his bag that he'd thought to pack at the last minute and slipped them on.

When he finally did climb in after her, he lay stiffly on his back with his eyes focused on the slats of the ceiling. It took all his willpower not to reach out and lay a hand on her to ensure she was there. She was young, and his god-sons best friend. He could imagine that any touching initiated by him while in a bed could only be seen as creepy and unsolicited. It was different when they were standing or on a broom, but her being next to him in a bed felt like a new level of intimacy that he wasn't prepared for.

He was still fighting the urge to reach out for her when he felt her shift closer to him before simply wrapping her fingers around his bare bicep laying between them. He let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding and placed his free hand on top of hers.

"Good night, Sirius," she whispered into the shadows of the cottage. He looked over at her still feverish face and watched as the light from the fireplace flickered across her delicate features. When he wanted to reach out and caress her cheek he realized that he was in deep trouble. He settled for instead picking her hand up and placing a chaste kiss on her palm before returning it to his own arm.

"Night, kitten."

* * *

**AN: Hope you guys are enjoying this story. Again, sorry about the wait, but this story is my primary focus from now on, so enjoy!**

**Thanks for the follows, favorites, and reviews!**


	4. Runespoor

**AN: This story is so fun to write! It's a lot faster moving than The Remains. I expect it will probably be around 40k words by the time I am finished with it. Let me know what you're thinking of it so far! Reviews inspire my quicker updates. **

**DISCLAIMER: Don't own anything!**

* * *

**Part Three: Runespoor**

Sirius woke up sometime in the early hours of the morning to the feeling of a shivering form pressed tightly to his side.

Wearily blinking his eyes open, the first thing he noticed was the mass of honey curls springing out all over the place right in front of his face and the tinkering of dishes by the kitchenette. Hermione's entire body was shaking so violently from tremors, that he wondered how he'd slept through it at all. His arm moved from where it was trapped under her to wrap carefully around her back and pull her closer to him.

The room was warm from the still crackling fire, but Hermione was shaking like it was freezing temperatures. Her small body was curled into him like she was trying to sap up all his body heat, and when his other hand reached up to brush the curls off her face, he could see that her the blush from the night before was a violent red. His dainty hands curled against the skin of his torso were creating ripples of goosebumps that he really didn't want to think about too hard. She was unwell, and he was on a mission to save her. Not to think about how nice her cold skin felt flush against his.

He hadn't noticed that the noises from across the room had stopped until a hushed voice broke his concerned focus, "She gets worse. You leave immediately." Sasha was studying the girl against him with a motherly expression. Sirius suddenly wondered just how many details about their predicament she'd been told.

Sirius nodded grimly to her before carefully shifting her form off of him and pulling himself off the bed. Donning his shirt and jacket from the day before, he pulled his map from the bag and laid it out on the table. He could sense a deep change in the witch's attitude toward him in comparison to just the night before, and though she offered no explanation, he wasn't planning on questioning it anytime soon.

Sasha explained how they would have to travel up the mountain to get to the checkpoint where they could floo to the prison. She also briefly told Sirius how regretful she was of the fact that she'd disconnected her floo network years ago in an effort to close herself off from the Wizarding World. She gave no further details than that, but Sirius could only imagine the kind of life a witch would need to live to turn herself away from something that was so deeply a part of her.

As soon as he knew his route, he thanked Tetya Sasha sincerely for her help before turning to the shivering witch in bed. He quickly laced up his own boots before taking a careful seat next to her on the old mattress. Moving the curls off her sweaty forehead, he pressed a hand to her burning cheeks and leaned down.

"Hermione," he whispered. She gave a violent shiver beside him, and her face twisted like she was in pain. "Hermione, we have to go."

She stretched her body with a groan, and Sirius regretted having to wake her up at all. When he gently nudged her ribs with his free hand her eyes shot open with a surprised gasp.

He watched as her eyes darted around her before landing on him. He felt her relax against him and give him a small relieved smile. "Time to go?" She asked sweetly.

He tucked her hair behind her ears as best he could and whispered back, "Unfortunately." When she pouted and sighed, he couldn't help but smile at her, "Don't worry, kitten. You can sleep on me the whole time again if you want. I don't mind."

Somehow, her blush spread, and he grinned at the nervous way she averted her eyes. When she didn't say anything, he carefully pulled her up to a hunched sitting position before pulling on her jacket and lacing her boots. She made comments about not being useless, but he waved them off in favor of braiding her hair just as Ginny had done the day before.

"You're too slow right now," he jibed, and she reluctantly snorted.

When he finally had both their bags strapped on them, and Hermione was up and standing shakily, the older woman came forward and placed her weathered hands on Hermione's cheeks.

"You take care of yourself, child." Hermione's eyes widened at the unexpected kindness before her expression melted into a soft smile. Sasha continued, "And once you're better, you take care of Florenti. Tell him to visit more."

Hermione laughed. "Thank you for having us, Tetya Sasha. I will repay your kindness when I am well." Sirius felt a modicum of pride at the way she said _when _she was well rather than _if_. Sitting in front of all those Unspeakables and hearing them say that she didn't have much time had never sounded right to him. This was Hermione Granger they were talking about. Hermione doesn't die.

The woman waved her off with a scowl before ushering the two out of the door. She stood silently right under the entry as Sirius helped Hermione onto the broom, but right before they took off, she said something that had Sirius's nerves standing on end.

"Don't stop until you reach the checkpoint. Enemies lurk in the mountains."

Sirius looked down at her with a startled expression, but the woman simply frowned and glanced around the clearing before shutting herself back in the cottage. He made a discontented sound before kicking off and pulling Hermione impossibly closer to him.

The entire flight, Sasha's warning echoed through his skull, and he found himself holding Hermione as tight as he could and flying faster than he had the night before. It wasn't until they reached a high altitude and snow started to come down on them that Sirius had to slow down. One glance at the map made it known to him that they had barely made it halfway.

He didn't want to stop. A cold fear that Sasha had instilled in him had his adrenaline running at an all time high, and he knew that his determination would get them there in record time, but Hermione's small fingers squeezing his forearm had him second guessing things.

"We should stop," she said weakly, and Sirius pulled the broom to a halt.

"We have to keep going. You heard what she said back there, Hermione."

The snow was coming down harshly around them, and the warming charms that Sirius put on them were failing. He was cold down in his bones, so he could only imagine what it was doing to Hermione's weak health. He could barely see anything ahead of him, and the trees that had previously blanketed the ground had thinned out to just a few here and there.

"Please, Sirius. You'll get sick too, and then what good would you do me?"

Her attempt at humor was lost on him as he warred with himself over what to do. They had been on a broom for the majority of the day, and the fact that they were now in that odd twilight that he had flown in yesterday was doing nothing to aide in his sight.

Despite his better judgement he acquiesced by nodding once against the side of her head before checking the map and seeing that there was a cave detailed not too far from where they were. If they were going to stop, he was going to make damn sure it was safe.

He had difficulty finding it, but once he did, he couldn't help but feel a little relieved to not be out in the weather anymore. When they landed the snow that covered the ground was nearly up to Hermione's knees which resulted in him pulling her onto his back like a child to walk the ten feet into the cover of the odd cavern they'd found. Using the light from his wand, he quickly surveyed the area and found that there was only one point of entry, the way they came in. Satisfied, he set Hermione back on her feet. Once he'd pulled a sleeping bag from her satchel and set her up in it against the wall, he immediately set about making a small fire for her before setting some meat that she'd brought along with her to roast above it. As the food cooked, he quickly started to set up wards on the entrance to the cave.

They were completely silent as they ate and sat as close to the fire as they dared.

He didn't know how long it was before the urge to piss was too much to bare. He looked up at the drowsy witch sitting across the flames from him.

"Kitten, don't move. I'll be right back."

Her eyes darted up to him before narrowing slightly. "Where are you going?"

He gave her something resembling a cheshire grin and said, "Gotta piss. Fancy watching?"

She scrunched up her nose in an adorable way, and he let out a barking laugh as he got to his feet. He looked down at her and his grin faded to a more stern expression.

"Seriously, Hermione. Don't go anywhere."

She gave him a withering look and said sarcastically, "Because there are so many places to wander off to here."

He narrowed his eyes, and she sighed.

"Don't worry, Sirius. I couldn't get far if I tried anyway."

He nodded in satisfaction before slowly walking out of the cave. Sasha's parting words were affecting him much worse than he ever expected when he found it physically difficult to make any move to part for her. He didn't dare go far. Really just a couple feet out from the entrance with his eyes scanning the area in front of him madly, and as soon as he was done, he hurried back inside.

"You missed quite the show, Her-"

His words died on his lips when sitting in the place where Hermione had been was an empty sleeping bag. Panic set in like he'd never felt before.

"Hermione!" He called out and when there was no response, he added, "This isn't funny, come out!"

He lit his wand to light the cave better than the fire, and upon closer inspection he saw her wand sitting just a foot away from where she'd been on the rough stone ground. Despite the fact that her magic wasn't working, she had refused to part with it for even a second. That was how he knew she wasn't playing tricks on him. It was then he accepted this when he felt that pull that had been there since he'd stepped out of the veil like it was a physical, tangible thing. It was pulled tight, and he just knew that the distance between them was growing.

"Hermione!" He yelled. The cave was small, and he ran his hands along every crevice to make sure there was no place she could be hidden before running back out into the snow.

There had been no sound of struggle, no screams for help, no indication whatsoever that anything had gone wrong in the minute he had had his back to her, but somehow she was just _gone. _

* * *

Hermione didn't know what had happened. One second, she was trying very hard to tune out the sound of Sirius peeing in the snow, and the next she'd been silenced and blinded with hands pulling her every which direction. She hadn't felt the telling feeling of apparition or portkey, nor the biting cold of the outdoors, but somehow she knew she was traveling a greater distance than the small cave had to offer in the arms of a silent stranger.

She couldn't scream or really move too much as the grip the person had on her was tight beyond words. She couldn't even use any magic.

She'd never felt so hopeless in her life. Not even when she'd had Bellatrix Lestrange pressed on top of her with a blade to her wrist. At least then people had known where she was. But right now she was in the middle of an endless mountain range with only Sirius Black, and even he didn't know anything about where they were. She'd watched him inspect the cave herself. There was no exit.

It took her less than two seconds to work out that whoever had grabbed her must have put up some heavy warding magic to keep a tunnel hidden from sight. Sirius was way more intelligent than anyone knew, so her one hope was that he would be able to work that out.

She struggled as much as her weak frame would let her before she tired out and realized that whoever it was that was taking her deep into the mountain was much stronger than her. She felt fear gripping her and angry tears forming in her eyes. She _hated _being weak like this, and to make matters worse, without Sirius there as her physical pillar of strength, she could feel any little amount of energy she had, filtering out of her system slowly. It made the pain sharper, the tiredness stronger, and her fear deeper.

She didn't know how long they'd been carrying her before she was unceremoniously dropped onto a smooth stone ground. The pain that went rocketing through her body, left her soundlessly gasping on the ground. She could hear hushed voices echoing off cavernous walls and the sounds of multiple pairs of feet shuffling around her. Her hands reached out as she blindly tried to crawl away from all the noise, but another arm wrapped around her waist and carried her back before she'd made it very far at all like she was simply a baby crup that had wandered too far.

Seconds later, whatever spell they'd used to blind her was lifted, and she had to blink her eyes multiple times to clear her swimming vision.

She tried to speak only to discover that she was still silenced.

Standing in front of her was a regal looking woman. She stood proudly with multiple people flanking her on both sides and a staff like the Durmstrang students had used all those years ago gripped loosely in her fist. The first impression Hermione got from her, was that this woman was very _powerful_, and the next she begrudgingly admitted was that she was probably the most beautiful woman she'd ever seen.

She had tanned skin and nearly black hair that was braided tightly down her back, but what really drew Hermione up was the brightness of her eyes. Icey blue in color, and staring sharply at Hermione as if just by looking at her, she could learn every secret Hermione had ever kept. It was unnerving, but Hermione found she couldn't look away. The woman's words threw her even more off guard than she already was.

"Sorry if my men scared you, tsvetok," her english was smooth, and her accent slight. The apology did nothing to quell her anxiety.

Hermione opened her mouth, but nothing came out. The woman turned sharp eyes on the men and barked out something in Russian, and one of them promptly raised their wand and released Hermione from the silencing charm.

"Who…" Hermione managed to croak out before she was taken over by a sudden coughing fit. The woman looked her up and down before saying something else in Russian and stepping forward. As everyone slowly filed out the way Hermione had been brought in, she stepped up to Hermione and crouched down to where Hermione was on the ground. Her hand landed on Hermione's forehead and she tutted under her breath.

"You are unwell, tsvetok."

Hermione flinched back when she moved her staff and muttered something that had a very bright corporeal patronus appearing between them. It was a manx cat which Hermione knew to mean that whoever this woman was, she was fiercely protective and loyal.

She muttered something to it before gently touching it under its chin. Hermione watched wide eyed as the cat bound from the room before turning back to her. At least she knew this woman couldn't be completely evil.

"Who are you?" Hermione finally managed.

"My name is Zoya Vasiliev."

Zoya's eyes traveled up and down Hermione's muggle attire before moving back to her face.

"I think that it is I who should be asking who _you _are."

Without hesitation Hermione said, "Hermione Granger."

Zoya tilted her head to the side in contemplation. "And what is Hermione Granger doing in the Russian mountains in the middle of a snowstorm?"

Hermione's eyes narrowed suspiciously and righteous anger boiled up. "I think that it is I who should be asking why I got _snatched _in the mountains in the middle of the snowstorm!"

Zoya's face completely transformed when she suddenly let out a burst of laughter. "Oh! I think we will get along just fine, tsvetok!"

Hermione twisted her mouth into a scowl and said, "And what, may I ask, is tsvetok?"

Zoya smiled at her. "It means flower. You set off our wards, and when I sent Alexei to investigate, he returned with what he called a small flower."

Hermione's scowl deepened, "I am _not _a small flower."

The woman laughed and said, "Certainly not."

"And I need to get back because I promised Sirius I wouldn't go anywhere, and he's going to absolutely panic when he finds I've been taken!"

Zoya's smile dropped. "This Sirius… he is your friend?"

Hermione huffed. "I don't know why I should tell you, but _yes_ he is my friend!"

Zoya rocked back on her heels and muttered something in Russian to herself. Before standing and yelling out a name. A blonde and huge man came back into the room instantly and a conversation passed between the two in which Zoya gestured to Hermione and the man paled.

After a few minutes the man ran back out of the room, and Zoya returned to her perched position in front of her.

"I apologize. It seems Alexei did not just make a mistake in assuming you were a flower, he also assumed that the man you were with was more _foe _than friend."

Hermione's mind raced for a moment before understanding dawned on her. "He thought Sirius had kidnapped me?" The more she learned, the more confused she was about the entire situation. It was giving her a pounding headache just trying to discern if she could trust her or not.

She nodded regretfully. "He says when he got to the cavern the man was commanding you not to move and making lewd comments."

Hermione's flush spread down her neck, and she felt the oddest need to defend Sirius's offensive nature. "That's just who he is! And he was only telling me not to move because Tetya Sasha said that-"

Hermione cut herself off and squeezed her lips together.

Tetya Sasha had said that enemies lurked in the mountains, and not even twelve hours later, Hermione had been taken from her sleeping bag while Sirius had his back turned. She couldn't believe she'd let her guard down even for a moment. Perhaps, all of this was a ploy. Perhaps, Zoya was just trying to earn her trust before doing something terrible that nobody would ever discover because Hermione was in the middle of the bloody Ural Mountain Range. Hermione's eyes narrowed, and she daringly looked back up at Zoya only to find the woman giving her a shocked expression.

"You said Tetya Sasha?" Zoya asked disbelievingly.

Hermione hesitated a moment. There was no use denying what she had said, so she just nodded. The vigorous movements of her head left her even more dizzy than she had already been. Her body was getting warm and her eyes were playing tricks on her, but she couldn't mistake the emotions that took over the Russian woman's face.

Zoya's eyes grew sad then. Like the mere mention of the woman had brought back unwanted feelings and memories.

"Do you…" Hermione paused for a moment before finishing breathlessly, "Do you know her?"

Zoya didn't answer, and instead asked with watery eyes, "Do you know Florenti?"

Hermione was going to answer. She really was. But her vision got worse, and she swayed in her seated position, and seconds later she was falling to the ground completely.

* * *

Sirius didn't know what to do.

His first reaction had been to get on a broom and scower all of the land surrounding them, but there had been no tracks. Nothing to indicate that Hermione had ever stepped foot outside of the cave. He'd landed again and found himself sinking to his knees on the harsh floor and gripping his hair with his fists. He was so panicked, he couldn't think straight. He found himself thinking that Hermione would know exactly what to do. That thought had his brain running a mile a minute to figure out where she possibly could have gone.

She had disappeared in the time span of under sixty seconds without any sounds or tracks through the snow. This left only one option.

She must have been taken deeper into the caves.

This thought had him retracing every square inch of the cave in a desperate search for any sign of a tunnel or opening. After he'd done this three times, he was growling in frustration.

Wards then. There had to be some kind of wards up which meant that whoever had taken Hermione had magic. Sirius wasn't a curse breaker by any means, but he did know one or two things. He lifted his wand to start with some diagnostics spells when there was a shimmer right in front of him and a flushed and large man appeared in front of him. The man was _huge_. Nearly seven feet tall and built like a muggle bodybuilder. Sirius took one look up and down him and raised his wand menacingly.

Just as he started to utter a spell to disarm him, the man held his empty hands up in surrender and yelled something in Russian. Sirius growled at him and held his wand study.

"Where is she!"

Sirius could tell the man didn't understand him as he narrowed his eyes and grew a look of frustration.

"Hermione! Where is she!" Sirius yelled. He watched as the mans eyes lit with recognition at Hermione's name, and he gestured with one of his hands at everything around him. Sirius eye's darted at all of his stuff before returning to him as he gestured close to him and then waved his hand in the direction he'd come from. Sirius's brow wrinkled.

"What in the bloody hell are you trying to say?"

"Her-moe-nee!" He pointed behind him, and Sirius's eyes flashed in understanding. His wand arm stiffened.

"You took her!"

The man made the same gestures as before, and Sirius stood frozen. He didn't seem to be posing a threat, but Sirius knew this could all be a trick. But if he said they had Hermione, Sirius didn't exactly have much of a choice. He waved his wand and all of their things flew back into his bag, and Hermione's own bag flew to his own shoulder. He kept his wand pointed at the man and gestured for the man to go forward.

The man had to grab Sirius's wrist to get him through the wards, but after that he moved quickly through the small tunnel that was lit by bluebell flames strategically placed along the walls. Sirius's anxiety seemed to grow the deeper they went and the more times the man turned to make sure Sirius was still behind him. Sirius's wand didn't waver until the tunnel's ground suddenly became more even and they were walking down a manmade corridor that reminded him vaguely of medieval dungeons. Not long after that Sirius was ushered into a room, and the first thing he noticed was a woman leaning over an unconscious and violently shaking Hermione.

"Hermione!"

He pushed past the large man and dropped to his knees in front of her, pulling her seizing form from the arms of the woman.

He held her tight as she continued to buck and tremble against him. Her eyes were rolled back in her head and her breath was coming in horrible ragged heaps. He held her until her body came to a stop and she lay limply in his arms. He didn't know how long it took for her to come back to him, but when she did his body was arched over hers with his forehead resting against hers whispering quiet words of encouragement.

He felt her long lashes ghost across the tops of his cheekbones, and he pulled back quickly to study her face. Her eyes were pained, but when he leaned forward and pressed his lips lightly against her temple and then her cheeks, she seemed to relax against him.

"They found you," she said hoarsely. Her fingers tangled in his shirt when she was shaken by another contraction of her muscles.

"Don't _ever _do that again, Hermione," he growled.

Her eyes seemed to float across his face before landing on his grey eyes again. Her forehead creased, and he pressed a thumb against the skin there. "What happened?"

His lips thinned, and he subconsciously held her closer. "You had a seizure, I think."

Echoing footsteps sounded behind him and for the first time, he looked away from her to glance at the woman in front of him. Her eyes were darting between Sirius and Hermione in a way that had him tightening his already white knuckled grip on Hermione's waist.

An elderly man dropped beside them with a tinkling bag of supplies and gestured to Hermione. "I help."

Sirius bared his teeth at him, but the woman across from him placed a hand on Sirius's elbow. He flinched away from her and jolted to get her to release him.

"He is our community's healer. He will help her."

Sirius was fully prepared to tell them to bugger off when Hermione interrupted his thoughts with a soft, "Thank you, Zoya."

His eyes widened, but before he could protest the wizard was waving his wand over Hermione's body and muttering under his breath. After a few moments where Sirius refused to release her from his arms, the man spoke quickly to the Zoya woman before pulling multiple potions from his bag and handing them to her.

When their conversation ended and Zoya turned to him, the expression on her face made Sirius's heart clench painfully.

"What is it?" He already knew she was dying, but he hadn't quite believed it. Not really. Not until what the witch said next.

"He says her magical core is being weakened, and without that her organs are failing. He doesn't believe she has much time."

Sirius looked down at Hermione to see her eyes closed peacefully in sleep. "How much time?" He choked out.

Zoya looked down at the witch pityingly. "He says a few days at most."

* * *

**AN: **

**Thanks as always for the follows, favorites, and reviews!**


	5. Fwooper

**AN: aaaaaaaand I'm back! I could give you a million excuses, but I'll just sum it all up with **_**life.**_

**I hope everyone is staying safe and healthy with everything going on in the world right now. Figured I owed everyone a chapter, considering most of my followers are probably quarantining at the moment. **

**DISCLAIMER: Don't own anything!**

* * *

**Part Four: Fwooper**

After getting over his initial panic, Sirius refused to let go. Even as Zoya woke Hermione up to take potions, he held onto her. He watched after her potions were down as she relaxed back into him, and her eyes fluttered shut again. When she fell into her potions induced sleep again, he glanced up at Zoya and weighed his options. They were left with much less time than they had planned, and all of their hope was banking on this Stanislav guy. Hermione had been nothing but hopeful, but Sirius was reluctantly doubtful. If Zoya was part of this Russian community then she must know about Stanislav and the prison. He was reluctant to give up any information, but the weight of Hermione in his arms had him thinking that they were out of options.

"Do you know…" he began before pausing to glance back down at Hermione. He looked back up at Zoya with stronger resolve. "Stanislav Voronin," he finished simply.

He watched as the woman's eyes widened before she glanced down at Hermione with a new look in her eyes. After only a moment she asked the question that everyone seemed to be wondering, "What did she _do_?"

Sirius's lips thinned. "We need to see him. As soon as possible."

Zoya narrowed her eyes and gave him a thoughtful expression. "I will escort you personally." Sirius sighed in relief. "But I will not take you until morning. It is late. We will dine, talk, and then sleep." She stood and brushed her robes off before saying, "And you _will _tell me everything."

She left no room for arguments, and Sirius felt like he'd felt before. _Boxed _in.

"For now, I will show you to your rooms, so you can freshen up before dinner." When Sirius didn't move, she waved her hand jerkily. "Come."

Sirius stood easily with Hermione in his arms and followed her through what seemed to be a maze of stone corridors. They passed many people on the way who bowed their heads in respect to Zoya and glanced curiously at the two obvious strangers following her. Hermione didn't shift once in his arms by the time they made it to a corridor full of stone doors. They worked similarly to the entrance to Diagon Alley in that they each required a sequence of taps from a wand to shift the stones and open the room. She opened one before moving down the hall and opening another. Sirius paid close attention to the sequences and committed the both of them to memory.

"Normally, we charm the doors to recognize the occupants magical signature, but I am not sure how long you will be staying. I promise no one will be down here to disturb you." She gestured to the first door she opened. "This one is Hermione's. I had Annika bring some clothes for her because I wasn't sure if she had any. That one down there is yours."

Sirius stood quietly behind her as she seemed to realize something.

"Hermione… will she need my help changing?"

Sirius ignored her and walked quickly to the room she'd indicated to be Hermione's and slowly lowered her onto the large bed in the center of the room. His hand brushed her freed hair away like he'd done just that morning, and he noticed with some relief that her fevered blush had faded to a soft pink.

"Hermione," he said quietly. Hermione shifted and pushed her cheek further into his hand. "Hermione, there's a nice warm shower calling your name." He laughed when her nose wrinkled before she slowly blinked her eyes open.

"Really?" She asked.

"Yes," Zoya's voice said from the door. Hermione's eyes slowly trailed from Sirius's face to Zoya leaning against her doorway.

"Thank you for everything, Zoya."

The woman nodded and watched with her sharp eyes as Sirius led her to the doorway in the corner leading to the bathroom. Sirius stood on the edge and watched as Hermione examined the clothes left on the counter next to the sink.

He forced a smirk on his face and said cheekily, "Need any help with that shower of yours?"

He felt even more relief when she scowled at him and huffed a humorless laugh, "You wish, Sirius Black!"

The quirk in her brow and teasing smile on her face left him smiling as she shut the door in his face.

He was still smiling when he turned back towards the still thoughtful Zoya. They stood in silence for the minute it took Hermione to turn the water on.

"Do you love her?" Zoya asked matter-of-factly. Sirius's eyes widened, and he glanced back at the door.

"She saved my life," he said simply. She looked faintly amused when she shook her head.

"That's not what I asked."

Sirius shook his head and gave the woman a glare. "She's too young, but even if that weren't the case, she's _dying_. I don't think now is the time to be asking if I love her or not."

Zoya shook her own head slightly and tsked under her breath. "None of those sound like reasons not to love someone to me."

He let out an aggravated sigh and said, "She's family. I love her for what she's done for my godson, for _everyone_, but loving her for her… well I'm not quite there yet."

Sirius narrowed his eyes when Zoya gave him a humoring smile. "_Yet_, he says." She pushed herself off the doorway and gave him an appraising look. "I know what Hermione Granger has done for everyone. I've seen the papers and read the books. I imagine she wouldn't be that difficult of a person to love. You shouldn't fight it, Mr. Black."

Sirius rolled his eyes. He was getting tired of people pretending like they knew more about Hermione or their situation than was possible. He crossed his arms over his chest and raised his eyebrows.

"I'll send someone to fetch you two for supper. Then we will discuss Stanislav over some roast." She turned and disappeared back the way she'd come.

"Ah yes. A lovely dinner party topic," Sirius mumbled under his breath. He went to leave the room after her, but then he heard a sound coming from behind the door. Underneath the loud pounding of running water, he could hear Hermione singing softly to herself. She was off tune and her voice was anything but smooth due to her illness, but it made him smile nonetheless.

He considered waiting in Hermione's room until she was out just to make sure she didn't pass out or anything, but then he figured she seemed strong enough before she'd gotten in. Whatever potions they gave her seemed to be working (however temporarily).

As soon as he'd stepped out of Hermione's room, the door shut quite loudly behind him. As much as he was reluctant to admit it, a shower and warm meal sounded like just what he needed.

* * *

Hermione couldn't believe she had had a seizure just an hour ago. She hadn't felt as strong as she currently felt standing in the shower, and without even realizing it, she found herself humming a muggle tune she used to sing with her mum in the kitchen.

It wasn't until her fingertips were wrinkled and her skin a warm pink from the heat, that she decided to get out. She paused when her eyes turned to the soft bunch of fabric someone had left on the counter. She put on the underthings quickly before allowing her fingertips to hover over the seemingly scratchy fabric of the blue dress. She pinched the seam of the thick straps and held it up. It looked like it might fall to mid-shin and there were vibrant red and orange flowers embroidered in the bodice. She pulled it on over her head and froze when the thick linen molded to her body and caressed her skin like water. The dulled pins and needles soothed everywhere the fabric touched, and she very nearly cried at the absence of the feeling that hadn't left since they'd first started.

"Brilliant…" she muttered at the obvious charm work.

She swished the skirt of the dress pleasantly against her legs a few more times before sighing. She started wringing out her curls as she observed herself in the mirror. The dress was lovely, and she was thankful she didn't have to worry herself about putting on something appropriate for whatever they were getting themselves into. But she realized, it put a lot of the runes clearly on display.

Hermione jumped when a knock sounded through her room.

"I'm coming in, Hermione!" Sirius's muffled voice echoed through the cave-like room.

She squeaked and adjusted the straps of the dress on her shoulders before stepping out of the steam filled bathroom. Sirius was just opening the door when she slowly padded out on her bare feet. He quickly shut the door behind him before turning towards her with that charming smile that used to have Ginny and herself giggling quite ridiculously behind their hands all those years ago.

"Ready, love?" His eyes flicked over her dress before stopping on her feet. She shifted nervously and laced her fingers in front of her body. She could feel his gaze burning into her skin, intense grey eyes leaving a trail of goosebumps on her body. "Not quite," he whispered.

He glanced around the room before snapping his fingers.

"They've thought of everything," he said with a dry chuckle as he stepped toward a small dresser and picked up the simple grey boots they'd left for her in the corner.

"I have my own shoes," she mumbled half-heartedly, but she still lowered herself onto the edge of the bed pliantly.

Sirius stopped right in front of her with a frown. She opened her mouth to question him, but he reached his free hand out and grabbed the strap of her dress. His two fingers brushed against her collarbone as he rubbed the fabric between the pad of his thumb and his fore-finger. She sucked in a breath and an involuntary shiver made its way down her spine.

He hardly noticed as his brow furrowed in worry.

"Is it not hurting you?" He asked in confusion. Her cheeks erupted in flames when he kneeled in front of her and ran his fingers along the inside fabric at the bottom of her dress in wonder.

"It's…" she cleared her throat and averted her eyes. "...some kind of charm, I believe," she finished breathlessly.

"That's bloody brilliant. How'd they know?" She finally looked back at him to see that his face had returned to a mask of suspicion that he'd been wearing for days now.

She wrinkled her nose. "I'm not sure actually."

Sirius started to put her socks and boots on for her, and her blush immediately faded and her lips twisted into a scowl.

"I can do that myself. I'm not some invalid."

Sirius paused and slowly moved his eyes up so that he was looking up at her through his lashes. His lips turned up into the familiar mischievous smirk. He pulled her laces tight and opened his mouth to say something that would've been offensive, no doubt, but she interrupted him with a loud gasp.

She reached down and snatched up his fingers before trapping them between both of her hands.

"Sirius! I almost forgot! I can't believe I almost forgot! Well, I had a seizure, and then I passed out, and then I passed out _again_. So I guess it kind of makes sense that I forgot. _Oh! _And then the amazing shower, and this dress, and then you patronizing me. Oh, but I _need _to tell you, Sirius!"

* * *

Sirius's smirk had turned into a full blown grin at her distracted rambling, and he brought his free hand to her cheek as she talked. Once his palm made contact with her smooth skin, her mouth snapped shut. He gave a light laugh, and brushed his thumb across her bottom lip without much thought.

"You're rambling, kitten," he murmured, and his eyes crinkled in further amusement when he felt her cheeks warm beneath his palm. She moved one of her hand's up to rest over his, trapping it against her cheek, but Sirius wasn't complaining.

She squeezed both his hands briefly and blinked a few times. "Right… What I was trying to say is that Zoya knows Florenti," she finished rather lamely.

Sirius's eyes widened, but before he could say anything on the matter, there was a brief knock on the door.

Sirius's eyes flicked to the door before he finished tying her boots and jumped to his feet. He put on one of his charming smiles, but Hermione's words stuck to the forefront of his mind stubbornly. Just _who_ exactly were they staying with?

With that on his mind, he swung the door open, and his smile dropped into a scowl.

The same huge man who had brought him into the caves in the first place stood in her doorway with a grin on his face.

"What are you doing here?" Sirius tried to keep the growl out of his voice, but he didn't quite manage it. The man's smile faltered, but then returned even brighter.

"Gotov k obedu?"

Sirius's lip curled. "We don't speak Russian, you ponce!" His scowl faltered when he felt Hermione's gentle hands wrap around his bicep, her curls tickling his skin due to how close she was standing. He looked down at her to see her smiling softly at the man.

"Hello, Alexei," she said with a short nod. Sirius turned and watched as the man, _Alexei,_ positively beamed at the small witch.

"Her-moe-nee," he said before his lips twitched downward, and he said something very quickly in his tongue. He paused when he was done and rubbed his chin thoughtfully before his eyes lit up. "Apology," he said with a sheepish smile.

Hermione eyed him for a moment before nodding with another one of her gentle smiles. "Apology accepted." She paused for a moment before saying, "And it's Her-my-oh-nee."

Sirius's scowl returned when he watched the way Alexei's pale cheeks flushed.

"Her-my-nee?"

She tossed her head back and forth, "We'll work on that."

"Why does the git need to apologize?" Sirius asked quietly despite the fact that Alexei didn't seem to know very much english at all. Hermione dug her nails into his bicep, and a low whining sound came out of his mouth before he could stop it.

"Be _nice_, Sirius," she groused.

She loosened her hold as Alexei started leading them down the corridor in the opposite direction than they came from earlier. Sirius was pleased when she didn't release his arm as they made their way through the magically lit hallway, and when it narrowed, she took a step even closer to him.

He tried to ignore the way she pressed her entire torso to the length of his arm as he leaned down and whispered, "I don't like the way that man looks at you, Hermione."

She looked up at him and their noses were just a few inches apart. She quirked an eyebrow, "And why not?"

Sirius felt something twinge in the bond he'd felt with her, and he couldn't look away from her eyes. "You _know_ why, Hermione."

It was the first time either of them had seriously acknowledged that there was anything happening between them, and it still had been a shrouded comment.

He felt her stiffen against him, and her eyes darted across every contour of his face like she could figure out his exact meaning just by studying him. He watched her caramel eyes glaze over with an expression that might mean that she was feeling all the same things as him, but then she flinched and turned her full attention back to Alexei's back.

"I'm dying, Sirius," she whispered matter-of-factly. Her fingers tightened vaguely on his arm. "I suspect I won't be here much longer."

His eyes moved to the pale runes covering her skin, and that same anger and hopefulness he'd been feeling returned full force.

"Please don't speak that way, Hermione," he whispered in her ear right as the never-ending corridor opened up into what appeared to be a large cavernous dining hall.

People were shuffling in and out of the room, and the loud and joyous atmosphere gave Sirius a crushing flashback to his Hogwarts days. He watched as multiple people turned and followed their trek through the dining hall and called out greetings to the Russian man in front of them.

Right before they followed Alexei through a door branching off the side, Hermione leaned back into Sirius and said quickly, "I don't regret it, Sirius."

His heart beat rapidly in his chest in a way that made him feel like a giddy teenager, but it wasn't quite the same. It was a painful sort of butterfly that felt more like there were vengeful fairies clobbering his insides. It was a careful balancing act between grateful and angry that she had even brought him back in the first place.

"Ah! My guests have arrived," Zoya's strong voice broke his reverie, and his head whipped to the head of the table. This room was far more intimate in comparison, and the table had just three settings. Sirius led the sluggish witch to the setting to the right of Zoya. Once she was sitting, he reluctantly moved to the other setting directly across from her.

"Thank you for your hospitality, Zoya," Hermione said with a gracious smile.

Sirius watched as Alexei bowed to the woman before exiting the room and shutting the door behind him.

Once the door was shut, food magically appeared on all of their plates, and Sirius realized how hungry he truly was. Minding his deeply ingrained manners, Sirius thanked Zoya and then waited for both of the women to start eating before he picked up his utensils.

For a few minutes, they ate in tense silence before Zoya abruptly set her utensils down and gave both of them hard stares.

"Do you know Florenti?" She asked Hermione specifically.

Hermione glanced over at Sirius, and he nodded almost imperceptibly. Hermione set her fork down gently and nodded slowly at Zoya.

"Yes. I work with him at the Ministry." She hesitated a moment before saying, "He's my friend."

Zoya's entire face softened at that, and she gave Hermione a somewhat weak smile. "I grew up with Florenti, but we can discuss this later." Her face shuttered, and she pointed an accusatory finger at Hermione. "You play with dark magic, tsvetok."

Hermione, temporarily forgetting her manners, slammed her hand on the edge of the table and scowled at Zoya. "I _know _that, and _stop _calling me _flower_!"

Zoya smirked for a moment before it dropped into a serious expression. She steadily moved her finger to Sirius. "You're Sirius Black."

He leaned back in his chair and darted his eyes between the two witches. "Correct," he drawled slowly.

Zoya narrowed her eyes. "You were dead," her finger moved to Hermione again, "and _she _brought you back."

Sirius watched as Hermione straightened her spine and looked defiantly down her nose at Zoya. "I did what I had to do." Zoya clicked her tongue and shook her head.

"_No_. You did what you _wanted _to do, and you did it without any care for your own life."

"I don't regret it," she responded immediately.

"You will when I take you to Stanislav, and he tells you just _what _exactly you have done."

Hermione deflated just slightly, and Sirius balked at the flash of fear he saw in her eyes. "Stanislav… they call him the Bringer of the Dead?"

Zoya reached forward and took a long sip from the goblet of elfin wine in front of her before leaning back in her chair tiredly. One of her fingers reached out and started absently scratching at the wood of the table. "His name is Stanislov Voronin. Florenti and I were in school with him at Koldovsoretz, and he left a few years before we graduated. Before I tell you why he's imprisoned at Adskiye Vorota, I must tell you why he has done what he's done."

Hermione and Sirius were both on the edges of their seats, leaning forward anxiously. It was the first time he had heard the prison called by an actual name, and the way she had said it, had a shiver running down his spine. He subconsciously placed his hand, palm up, on the table in between Hermione and himself.

"Adskiye Vorota… What does that mean?" Hermione asked curiously.

Zoya looked slightly haunted when she said, "The Infernal Gate." She took a moment to seemingly collect herself before she sighed and sat back up. "He was sorted into the Black Court with myself."

At Sirius's confused look Hermione piped in, "Courts are like our houses. The Black Court is the Court of Strength if I'm remembering correctly?"

Zoya nodded.

"Florenti taught me all about it. Quite fascinating actually. He was sorted into the Red Court, correct? Court of Beauty?"

Zoya smirked. "Makes sense, no?"

Hermione snorted before she returned to the topic at hand and said, "Black Court specializes in Defense Against the Dark Arts and magical tools, correct?"

"Yes," she nodded gravely. "To properly defend the Dark Arts, you must know the Dark Arts. You are familiar with this concept, Hermione Granger?"

"Quite." The haunted look returned to Zoya.

"Stanislav… he was seduced by the Dark. He was drawn to the possibility of power one could attain if they wielded it. He had a younger brother in Azure Court though. His name was Kazimir. He was a sweet boy, innocent and _good_. He depended wholly on Stanislav after their parents passed, and Kazimir kept Stanislav… _sane._" She ran a hand down her face before taking another large gulp of her wine. "There was an accident a couple years after Stanislav graduated in Kazimir's final year. A terrible, _tragic_ accident. A few boys in their Court were playing with _Liquidi Simul Ignus._ Trying to master it and wield it out of pure curiosity, and it got out of hand. Kazimir was caught in the crossfire, and it liquified his insides. Florenti was there when it happened, and he had nightmares for months afterwards. He says there was blood oozing from every orifice, and Kazimir's screams could be heard through the entire palace." Sirius watched in horror as Zoya's icy eyes filled with tears for a moment before she gathered herself and blinked them away. "I was in class a few floors above, and even I could hear his screams. They couldn't counter the curse fast enough."

Sirius turned to look at Hermione and saw her shedding horrified tears. She reached for the hand Sirius had rested on the table, and he pressed his thumb against her skin as a small sign of comfort.

"Stanislav had to come retrieve his brother, and he promised vengeance before disappearing with the body. We didn't hear or see anything about him for months, but then when those boys' bodies showed up on school grounds the day of our graduation, just charred remains suspended atop the turrets, everyone knew who'd done it."

Sirius's fingers tightened around Hermione's small hand. _This _was the man that was supposed to save her life?

"After that, rumors started to spread about the Ural Mountains and Stanislav. That the woods weren't safe anymore. That _he _haunted them in constant search of all-encompassing power. Wizarding graveyards started being robbed, and he started building his army of _Zhivyye Mertvetsy_ with his brother at the head. He was doing Ancient blood sacrifices to exchange muggle lives for Wizarding ones." She gave Sirius an appraising look before leaning forward and saying, "He brought them _all_ back to life."

Sirius glanced at Hermione and watched as the blood seemed to drain from her face.

"Vernut' mertvykh," Zoya said with a hard look at Hermione.

Both Zoya and Sirius watched as a million thoughts seemed to be running through her mind at once. A _trade. _A _sacrifice._

Her free hand went to cover her eyes weakly, and Sirius's concerns that had been haunting the background of his consciousness the past couple of days surfaced and were confirmed.

_Hermione was the sacrifice_.

"Hermione…" He whispered weakly.

When she didn't move, not even a millimeter, Zoya tsked and whispered harshly, "Stanislav… I saw him once before he went to Adskiye Vorota. His body… it is covered in these." Sirius watched in horror as the witch traced a rune at the top of Hermione's arm, and Hermione flinched away.

Hermione finally opened her eyes again, and in what appeared to be a desperate need to force the subject off her own ritual, asked quietly, "How did you catch him?"

Zoya kindly took the cue. "My mother was Xenia Vasiliev, and she ruled the Podzemnoye Tsarstvo until the day of my graduation in which I was crowned. The Podzemnoye Tsartvo is similar to your Ministry, and Stanislav was our _greatest_ enemy. His Mertvetsy Soldaty filled the forest. They weren't quite the same as before they died when he brought them back. They were violent, and not quite… how you say… sentient. The only way to kill them was to _burn_ them. I established an order of pozharnyye magi. _Fire Mages_ that went out in the night and hunted the mertvykh. They're still active." She paused and glanced up at Hermione. "Florenti was a pozharnyye magi."

Hermione's eyes widened at that bit of information, but Zoya kept on. Meanwhile, Sirius's mind was reeling. Just _how much_ did Hermione not truly know about Florenti?

"My magi caught him the way many heroes catch enemies." She waved an almost dismissive hand through the air. "Stanislav got arrogant and thought himself invincible to the living. _That _is how Stanislav ended up in Askiye Vorota."

Sirius for the first time since Zoya had begun this long-winded tale, asked a question. "What reason does Stanislav have to help Hermione?"

Zoya narrowed her eyes at him. "Don't you see? Stanislav will do it because we have the _one thing_ he's always wanted."

Sirius leaned forward with bared teeth and tried to swallow down his impatience. "And what exactly is that?"

Hermione let out a woosh of air and blinked rapidly. She gave Sirius a weary and slightly watery look, "They have _Kazimir._"

A deadly smirk spread across Zoya's sharp face, "_Precisely_, Hermione Granger."

* * *

Hermione and Sirius were silent the entire walk back to their rooms, and Hermione could feel her burst of energy fading with every step they took. It wasn't until they reached Hermione's door that Sirius's voice cut through the tense air around them.

"You going to be alright alone in there, kitten?" His voice was soft against her ear, as he leaned into her to tap the pattern into the stones. Despite the warmth of the stone labyrinth, she found her body wracked with shivers. Her mind got stuck on the idea of the living dead dwelling somewhere in this castle, awaiting their execution, and she leaned backward into the older wizard.

Her pride wanted her to say yes, but the thought of spending what could possibly be her last night in this world alone, had her hesitating.

"Will you stay with me?" She whispered hesitantly.

She felt his body tense against hers for just a moment before he seemed to melt as he leaned forward to press a soft kiss to the top of her head.

"Of course, Hermione."

She sighed in relief and walked through the open doorway. Sirius left to retrieve his things, and by the time he'd returned, there were four empty potion vials on the bedside table and a bundled Hermione laying directly in the middle of the mattress. He shut the door and quietly muttered a spell to extinguish the lights before climbing in behind her. Hermione didn't allow her body to relax until Sirius had sighed and pulled her flush against his chest.

She took a few deep breaths and slowly turned in his arms so that she was facing him. She could just barely make out his blinking eyes in the near darkness.

She swallowed thickly, knowing that Sirius wasn't going to take what she was about to say well. Drawing on her Gryffindor courage, she started whispering quickly, "I've written letters. They're in a box under my bed at Grimmauld Place, and I need you to deliver them if something goes wrong."

"Hermione…" Sirius's voice came out as a low growl, but she stopped him by pressing her fingers to his lips.

"_And _if something goes wrong, I need you to make sure Harry doesn't blame himself." She felt tears forming in her eyes, but she forced herself to choke out, "And I need to be sure that _you _won't blame yourself."

"Please don't do this," he mumbled from behind her fingers, and she shook her head violently.

She leaned forward to press her forehead against his. "And… I need to do this…" She was speaking in between harsh intakes of air, but she steeled her spine and forced herself onward. "Just once… Just in case."

She moved her hand to his cheek, and before he could say anything, she leaned the rest of the way forward and pressed her lips to his.

* * *

**AN: **

**Wow I know, kind of a cliffhanger, but do not be alarmed. I have already written half of the next chapter, but decided to split it because it was extremely lengthy. **

**This chapter was a bitch and a half to write. I had to do a lot of translating and research. **

**All of my information on the Courts of the Russian Wizarding school came from a post I found on tumblr a while back posted by justdacat **

**I don't know if they came up with that, or if it is something that is canon, but I thought it was intriguing and it was something I wanted to add to the story. I am obviously taking creative liberties with my backstory, and it took a lot of though, so I hope you guys enjoyed that. **

**TRANSLATIONS:**

_**Gotov k obedu?: Ready for dinner?**_

_**Adskiye Vorota: Infernal Gate**_

_**Liquidi Simul Ignus: Liquid Fire**_

_**Zhivyye Mertvetsy: Living Dead**_

_**Vernut' mertvykh: Bring back the dead**_

_**Podzemnoye Tsarstvo: Underground Realm**_

_**pozharnyye magi: Fire Mage**_

**Let me know what you guys thought of the chapter. COMING UP NEXT CHAPTER: Hermione finally meets Stanislav! **

**Thanks for being loyal followers!**


	6. Quintaped

**AN: Hope everyone is staying healthy during these scary times! **

**Just four more chapters after this!**

**DISCLAIMER: Don't own anything!**

* * *

**Part Five: Quintaped**

* * *

_number five in the runic alphabet- carnivorous, taste for human flesh_

* * *

Sirius didn't hesitate in reacting to Hermione. In less than a second, his hands were tangled desperately in her hair, and he was kissing her back with everything he had. It was the best kiss of his life, and when she pulled away rather abruptly, he found himself pushing his nose against hers, wanting more, but not wanting to take what she wasn't willing to give.

How enormously ironic, that he would find something so seemingly perfect in a time of such uncertainty. The tangible bond between them was flaring, and he let himself fall victim to it. It was like he could feel her magic and _soul_ caressing and tangling with his, and it was such an intoxicating feeling, that he found himself gasping loudly. One of his hands moved forward to her cheek, and he marveled at the witch in front of him. That hopelessness that he'd felt before was replaced with the same determination that allowed him to survive twelve years of Azkaban with his mind intact. Hermione was going to _live. _He would make sure of it.

Suddenly her shaking body pressed even closer to him, and she moved her right cheek to press into the side of his neck. He could feel her salty tears leaving burning trails down his throat, and her lithe fingers dug into the skin at his shoulder blades.

"Do you feel it too?" She asked quietly.

His arms moved to wrap her tightly in his embrace as all of the possibilities flashed in front of his eyes. Him living a life. A _good _life. Free of war and Dementors. A life with _her. _The very thought burned treacherously as it flew into his mind, but once it was there, he couldn't do anything to chase the thought away. How was it possible for him to feel things he's never felt before after just four days with the witch? The knowing looks coming from Harry and Ginny flashed in his mind, and he almost let out a humorless laugh.

"I feel all of it, Hermione," he whispered and she let out a quiet sob against his neck.

It took an hour for her to settle into a fitful sleep, but it took Sirius much longer. He knew that as soon as he fell asleep, he'd be haunted by wonderful dreams of a future they weren't destined to have together.

* * *

When they woke up in the morning, Hermione was much worse than she had been the day before. She took the potions that had appeared on her bedside table, and both of them waited for them to kick in, but they didn't seem to have the same effect as they had had the day before. Sirius watched as she tried to play it off like she wasn't in tremendous pain, but she couldn't even sit up without his help, let alone walk.

Sirius had watched with a grim expression as she flushed in shame when she couldn't get the sleep clothes off that they had provided for her.

"Let me," he whispered, and she averted her gaze to stare angrily at the bed covers. Taking that as permission, he reached toward the hem of her shirt and changed her top as quickly as he could manage. He saw her eyes water when he lifted her to pull her pants up, and he sat up and pressed kisses to both her cheeks.

"I'll dress you anytime, love," he'd mumbled against her lips, and she let out a watery laugh that immediately turned into a fit of coughs. He hated how clinical the entire act of undressing her had been, and he vowed that if she ever let him properly undress her, he would make certain that she forgot the entire _rotten_ experience. He'd made sure to kiss her softly and promise his quick return before basically running to his own room to change and use the loo. She had responded to his kiss just barely before pulling away and giving him a sad little smile that Sirius was sure would haunt his nightmares.

When Alexei showed up to bring them to Zoya, Hermione was leaning heavily against Sirius as she determinately tried to walk herself to the door, but those four simple steps had her so out of breath that she had to pause in the jam.

Alexei had watched with wide eyes, and he gave Sirius a look.

Sirius narrowed his eyes at the man before reaching out and pulling her up into his arms before she could protest.

"Save your energy for Stanislav, Hermione," he said as he gestured with a head motion for Alexei to start walking.

When they made it to a room that was empty save four fireplaces, Hermione was shaking in his arms with what were sure to be nerves.

"Is she unwell?"

Sirius jumped at the sound of Zoya's voice, and he turned quickly to the corner directly to the left of the doorway. Alexei was standing beside her with a faintly amused expression, "Of course, she's bloody unwell, woman! She's dying, in case you forgot!"

"Sirius!" Hermione protested from his arms, and he flinched at her frustrated tone.

"You're jumpy today, Sirius Black."

Sirirus glared at Zoya's unimpressed expression and watched warily as she stepped forward with a small bottle of what appeared to be invigoration draught if the bright golden-orange color was anything to go by. Sirius slowly lowered Hermione to her feet, and she let out an indignant huff before leaning against his side again.

"Take this quickly, Tsvetok. We leave immediately. They are expecting us."

Hermione scowled at the woman before reaching for the potion with shaking fingers and downing all of it in one go. Just a few seconds later, some of her weight lifted off of Sirius, and she gave a sigh of relief. The draught must have been particularly potent.

They flooed directly to the prison after that, and when Sirius stepped through last, Hermione immediately reached for his hand. Zoya was across the room already speaking in quiet tones with a harsh looking witch. He took Hermione's hand gently and kissed her knuckles in comfort, and he felt his nerves surface at the iciness of her palm. Her eyes were focused on the floor to ceiling windows directly across from them, and Sirius followed her gaze. It looked over what appeared to be a never ending room with cell bars on the floor.

Hermione's hand lifted and she pointed in the direction of the room with no end. "Bavarian Erklings," she whispered.

Sirius watched as tiny elfin creatures creeped along the grated floors, blowing darts and appearing to speak taunts to whatever was down in those cells which were really more of covered holes in the ground. Sirius took a step closer and tried to look down in the ones closest. When he couldn't see the bottom despite how close he was, he realized he didn't even want to know how deep they truly were. Hermione's hand tightened on his and she pressed her body against his arm, so that there was no space between them as she started to ramble.

"They're native to the Black Forest of Germany. They're an XXXX rated Beast by the ministry, and their life source is sustained by eating children. They can survive by eating cows or goats, but they prefer the taste of humans." Hermione took a deep breath and whispered, "How have they gotten them to be so amenable? They wouldn't take any monetary compensation."

Zoya, once again, scared the wits out of Sirius when her voice spoke just to the right of his shoulder. "It is known that prisoners are property of Adskiye Vorota. _Body _and soul." She paused and gave them each a look that spoke volumes. "It is _also _known that when they pass on, the bodies disappear_._"

Hermione gasped in horror, and Sirius could only stare wide eyed as one of the beasts crawled out of a cell close to them with a maniacal smile curling on its pointed and gnarled face.

"Now enough of that. Alexei has gone to retrieve Kazimir, and _that_…" Zoya paused to point to a prone body being levitated out of a cell by a wizard on a broom. "...would be Stanislav."

Hermione tensed, so Sirius leaned down and whispered against the shell of her ear, "I'll be with you the whole time."

She nodded, and he watched as she steeled herself and marched on ahead, following Zoya and practically dragging him behind her.

Adskiye Vorota was somehow even creepier than the brief descriptions they'd gotten from people. As they walked down a corridor branching off to the left, Sirius did everything he could to focus on the metal ground in front of them rather than the windows directly to the right of them. After what seemed like no time at all the two witches in front of them paused, and Hermione leaned into the side of his body.

"He's in there," Zoya directed her hand at a heavy metal door before turning back and facing Hermione. She was holding a wand rather than the heavy staff they'd seen her with the day before, and held it up then and waved it over Hermione and Sirius. "He doesn't speak English, but I've cast translation spells over the both of you. He will only hear Russian, and you will only hear English."

Sirius's eyebrows shot up as Hermione mumbled, "You're going to have to teach me that."

Zoya took a step back, and stared at them with a raised brow, and it became clear in that moment that she would not be coming in with them. As soon as Hermione's gaze left Zoya and turned to the door, Sirius saw Zoya's careful, strong facade twitch into something that made him decidedly uncomfortable. _Fear._

His head swung back towards Hermione, only to see her reaching out for the door handle with her free hand. Without hesitation, he pulled softly on her hand to stop her, and she glanced over her shoulder at him like she was broken out of a trance.

"Hermione…" he mumbled, and she shook herself. She gave him a curious look before turning back to the door and grabbing the handle. Before he could stop her, she was releasing his hand and pulling the door open.

She left it open for him, and after one glance back at Zoya, he followed her through and slowly shut them in the room. Hermione had quickly walked to stand right in front of the large metal table in the center of the otherwise barren room, and Sirius made sure to position himself against the wall slightly to her left. He leaned his shoulder against the door, so that he looked comfortable but be able to pull his wand at a moment's notice.

His eyes finally landed on the man sitting across from Hermione at the table.

His wrists were manacled in that same shiny metal that seemed to cover the entire expanse of the prison outside of the never ending room. The polished finish contrasted strongly with the grime coating his entire body, but despite the dirt, he could still make out the runes covering every inch of his skin. Sirius's eyes followed the skeletal arm up to the head that seemed almost too large for his body, and he had to concentrate very hard not to show his surprise when the runes covered up even the translucently pale skin of his face. His dark hair was cut close to his head, and he was staring at Hermione with a cold detachment. It was when Sirius looked into the man's eyes that a frigid fear washed over his body. He had never in his life seen such empty eyes. Sirius watched through narrowed eyes as Stanislav's eyes traveled up and down Hermione's bare arms before landing on her face with a slight tilt of his head.

"I will speak with you," his voice was deep and nearly monotone, but scratchy from either screaming or months of disuse, Sirius would never be sure. Sirius watched as Hermione took the final step toward him and very slowly lowered herself into the chair they had placed in the room. Sirius felt pride overtake his fear when he studied the profile of the witch's face and could see no indication that she was afraid. If it weren't for her shaking foot under the table, he wouldn't have sensed any nerves at all.

"I will speak with you…" the man repeated before his gaze finally landed on Sirius. Sirius's eyes narrowed further when a predatory smirk took over his previously blank expression. "But only if your _watchdog_ leaves," he finished.

Sirius pushed himself off the wall and a low growl came from deep in his throat, but he was stopped by the feeling of Hermione's small hand reaching back blindly and landing on his abdomen.

"It's fine, Sirius," she said without even looking back at him. White-hot anger took over, and Sirius bared his teeth at the man staring at him with that same odd tilt to his head.

"I'll be damned if I leave you alone in here, Hermione!"

She still wouldn't look at him. _Why wouldn't she look at him!_

"Sirius, leave," she said strongly in an odd mockery of Stanislav's monotonous tone that unsettled Sirius in a way that the wizard's blank stare couldn't even manage. He realized in a moment of reluctant clarity what she was doing. Despite her not showing or indicating it, the tone change and insistence of him leaving was her lowering herself to Stanislav's terms in an act of desperation. He remembered his own thoughts on the matter then. _He's our only shot. _It was only his own desperation that allowed him to even consider leaving the room.

Sirius laid his non-dominant hand over hers before pulling out his wand with his other. He pointed it steadily at Stanislav, and the wizard didn't move a single muscle.

"One _toe _out of place, and the Erklings will be having an early dinner," he growled. Sirius waited a moment, but his expression still hadn't wavered.

After a few more seconds, Sirius dropped his wand and squeezed Hermione's cold fingers.

"I'll be right outside the door, kitten."

She didn't respond, so he stepped back and swung the door open angrily. As soon as he was out the door, he saw Zoya and Alexei standing with their noses very nearly pressed to a glass window showing the inside of the room that definitely hadn't been visible from the other side. He paused when he saw the floating a still form of a pale blue skinned man. _Kazimir_. When the door was shut behind him, he took a place beside the two and far away from the body and listened to Hermione's voice as she introduced herself. After a few seconds of silence, Stanislav told her to silence the room.

* * *

Hermione used every bit of energy she had to mask her fear when Stanislav asked… no… _commanded_ her to silence the room. She glanced back at the door once and allowed her fear to show before she masked it again and spun back to look at him. She wandlessly cast a silencing charm, and released a slow and slightly shaky breath. Her mind was whirring as she tried to settle her racing heart and remember her plan she had carefully thought out for how the conversation should go. She _couldn't_ lose control.

Stanislav threw her entire plan in the garbage when he immediately seized control of the entire interaction and put his intelligence on display in one fell swoop.

"I have been in this prison a long time now, _Hermione_." She jerked at the sound of her own name in his voice and found herself trapped in the void that was his gaze. "I have never once had a visitor. I am the enemy of Russia, so I couldn't imagine what possible reason I could have been stunned and pulled from my cell. Not until I watched you walk in with scars that matched mine." He leaned back in his chair and peered down his long and sharp nose at her. "We are the same… _kitten_." She flinched when he used Sirius's pet name for her, and cursed the fact that she'd let Sirius in the room in the first place. His temper had revealed too many of her cards too quickly. Stanislav's mouth twisted into a grin that was positively feral and bore his full set of yellowing teeth. "But _you_ have done it all wrong."

A terrible chill shook her body helplessly, and her eyes flicked over the runes that stretched across his shallow cheekbones. He leaned forward so suddenly that Hermione fingernails had to dig into the soft skin of her palms to stop herself from completely losing her dignity and shrieking.

"Go ahead. Pitch to me what deal could possibly be good enough to get me to help someone who imitates my _art _with _zero_ skill or integrity."

She paled at him referring to the atrocities he committed as an _art_. She found herself asking the same question everyone else had been asking her. What had she done? She took another steadying breath before leaning forward and forcing herself to raise an eyebrow in challenge. "Kazimir," she said simply.

Hermione refused to move a muscle when Stanislav instantly jumped to his feet. He slammed his hands on the table and actually growled at her.

"You're lying!" Spittle flew from his mouth and landed on the smooth metal of the table, but her eyes didn't waver from his twisted expression.

"I have no reason to lie to you, Stanislav," she said calmly. She watched as his furious eyes bore into her as if he could disclose whether she was telling the truth just by staring at her. "Now, sit down or you won't ever find out for yourself."

He hissed at her before slamming his body back into the chair.

After a few moments where they sat in silence, he leaned forward and returned to the casual emotionless countenance he'd had when they first entered the room. "I assume the man… Sirius… he is who you attempted to bring back through your mockery of a ritual?"

She bristled and crossed her arms in front of her. "I didn't _attempt_. I _succeeded _in bringing him back."

Stanislav seemed to be desperately trying to regain control of the conversation when he said menacingly, "At what _cost_?"

She scratched absently at the scars on her left arm and mumbled, "It would seem my life." After a couple minutes where he studied her exposed arms, he glanced back up at her.

"I need to see all of them." Her eyebrows shot up, but she had to admit that she'd been expecting this.

Before she could stop herself, she stood shakily and carefully pulled her shirt off without glancing back at the door despite how much she wanted to. She studied Stanislav's expression as he stood and stalked toward her like a predator to circle her body. His fingers ghosting across her skin in ways that left fearful tremors and gooseflesh rising to the surface.

"This is all of them?" He asked quietly. He leaned toward her ear, and whispered, "Are you sure I don't need to see more of you?" She could feel his hot, terrible breath against the shell of her ear.

"Don't push it," she managed to get out between her clenched teeth.

After a moment where his knuckles softly brushed against her ribcage he pulled back and returned to his side of the table. She glared when he seemed amused at how much discomfort he'd manage to pull from her.

Once he was sitting, he ran his tongue over his teeth and smiled that same predatory smile from earlier, "I can smell your fear… _kitten_."

She made a show of casting a tempus charm before looking down her nose at him. "You have five minutes."

"Threats?" He asked silkily, but for the first time since she walked in the room, she could sense a bit of nerves that matched her own. A single one of his eyebrows twitched, and then, in less than a second, he had straightened his spine and leaned forward in his seat. His entire physiognomy changed in the blink of an eye and suddenly he was speaking to her like they were simply two academics on the verge of discovery.

"How versed are you in differentiation between the bonds of heart, body, and soul?"

* * *

Sirius hadn't been able to rip his eyes away from the interaction happening behind the glass. When Stanislav had stood and growled at her, Zoya had to place a firm hand on his wrist to stop him from reentering the room. But when Hermione had taken her shirt off and the demented bastard had the nerve to _touch _her… Alexei had to hold him back. He had leaned into her and whispered in her ear before caressing her waist like a lover, and it took huge Russian wedging his body between the glass and his own chest to stop Sirius from barging in the room to kill him.

After Hermione cast the tempus charm, Sirius had calmed down just a _little_, and watched as they seemed to have a civilized conversation. Alexei slowly lowered him, and Sirius shoved the man far away from him with a growl. After just a few minutes, Hermione's face dropped into her hands. Stanislav was still speaking to her rapidly, but she wasn't even watching him. Sirius had zero hope of reading the wizard's lips because despite what they heard, he was still speaking in Russian.

Moments later, Hermione stood abruptly, pulled her shirt on, and ran for the door. When it swung open the sound of deranged laughter filtered out into the hallway before it slammed shut behind her. Hermione turned and looked at him, and her amber eyes were burning with an intensity that he'd never seen from her. Her breathing was labored, and her face was flushed, and he found himself sucked into her gaze. His chest was tightening in a way he hadn't felt before. Staring into her eyes, in that moment left his mind blanking and his heart pounding so fast, he thought he might pass out. It was like being pulled under by a riptide that ripped his body in a million different directions and left his chest and lungs burning for air. Her eyes held so much. Sadness. Fear. Hope. Longing. _Guilt_.

Neither of them moved when Alexei levitated the still body of Kazimir around them and through the door.

"Hermione?" He finally asked.

Instead of responding to him, she rushed forward and collapsed against his chest. Sobs echoed through the corridor, but all Sirius could hear was her repeating pleas.

"I'm sorry. I'm _so _sorry, Sirius."

* * *

**AN:**

**Ope. Sorry. Another cliffhanger. **

**I really hope I did well in getting that intensely creepy air about the whole prison right. I wanted it to really seem like something worthy of the name Adskiye Vorota (Infernal Gates), and on top of that I've had a lot of build up to Stanislav and I've been planning how to write his character as well as I envisioned him. **

**Hope everyone is doing well!**

**Thanks for the follows, favorites, and reviews!**


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